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HR / Employment Law News

maternity discrimination

New mum who claimed she was ‘laughed at’ for wanting her job back wins maternity discrimination case

An award-winning saleswoman claimed she was ‘laughed at’ by her new boss when she asked to return to her role after maternity leave. The claimant worked for Manchester based Bright HR in the web sales department and lost her job while on maternity leave in 2022. She claimed she was earning around £65,000 before taking maternity leave, and on her return was offered a role paying around £24,000. The tribunal heard that in May 2002, the claimant attended the company’s

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5th August 2025
What to Include in an Employee Handbook

What to include in an Employee Handbook: HR Essentials for 2025

Whilst not an absolute legal requirement, a well-structured employee handbook plays a critical role in building a compliant and productive workplace. It should outline key policies, standards and procedures, and provide consistent and accessible guidance for employees. Although an employee handbook should be tailored to the employer’s particular business and requirements, the following is a list of sections which should definitely feature: Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures Clear procedures should be included for handling disciplinary issues and grievances which comply with

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30th July 2025
bridging the soft skills gap

Making the Jump from Education to Work – A Growing Challenge for Employers!

Employers are encountering a surprising problem – a lack of essential soft skills in young workers, which is having a negative impact on workforce dynamics and productivity. Many school and college leavers are under-prepared for the journey from education to the workplace, and in particular for the significant change in approach and behaviour that is expected. Employers sometimes assume young workers understand office etiquette, whether it’s knowing how to communicate with colleagues, manage their time effectively, or handle sensitive topics like

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24th July 2025
wooden gavel and books

The Employment Rights Bill Roadmap Explained – Key Points Employers Need to Know

The government’s ‘Plan to Make Work Pay’ introduced wide-ranging changes to employment law in a bid to tackle low pay and working conditions and enhance employment rights. The Employment Rights Bill (ERB) includes key reforms such as extending protection from unfair dismissal from day one of employment, changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and a ban on fire and re-hire practices. On 1 July 2025, the government published a roadmap outlining the planned timeline for consultations, amendments, and enforcement of

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17th July 2025
Employment contract

What Should an Employment Contract Include in 2025?

Explore the must-have elements of an employment contract for UK businesses in 2025. This guide breaks down the latest legal requirements and best practices to help you draft clear, compliant contracts that protect your business. What is an employment contract? An employment contract is a contractual relationship between employer and employee outlining the terms and conditions of employment, such as salary, working hours etc, and becomes effective when an employee accepts the job offer. Why do employment contracts matter? Employment

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2nd July 2025
Person using a laptop with digital document and folder icons displayed in a virtual interface.

Are you HR Compliant? A Quick Guide for SME Owners

This article provides an overview of HR compliance in the UK for small and medium-sized businesses. It covers key legal requirements and practical steps to ensure your business meets all essential employment regulations, helping you to avoid costly mistakes and protect your company. What is HR compliance? HR compliance means complying with statutory and contractual requirements with respect to engaging employee, workers or other staff. The objective of HR compliance is to minimise regulatory and legal risks. Failure to do

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23rd June 2025
security manager called slave

Security Manager Called ‘Slave’ by Colleague Awarded £361k

A security manager of African descent who was referred to by a white colleague as his ‘slave’ has been awarded £361,000, at an employment tribunal. In April 2022, the claimant resigned from Vigilant Security after raising grievances alleging he was subject to continuous bullying and racism. The tribunal heard that Vigilant Security had a ‘striking imbalance’ between racial profiles as guards were mainly from ethnic minority groups and managers were largely white. The Operations Director for Vigilant Security told the

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5th June 2025
nhs worker compared to darth vader

NHS Worker Strikes Back After Being Compared to Darth Vader

A London NHS blood donation worker has been awarded almost £30,000 in compensation after being compared to Star Wars villain Darth Vader. Lorna Rooke began working for the NHS Blood and Transplant service (NHSBT) as a training and practice supervisor in 2003 and claimed the incident was one of the reasons for her resignation in 2021. Members of Ms Rooke’s team completed a Star Wars themed Myers-Briggs personality test in August 2021, with the results characterising each worker as a

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28th May 2025
Unfair dismissal

Lidl Employee Unfairly Dismissed for not having a Degree!

A Lidl employee was found to be unfairly dismissed when he was ‘marked down’ for not having a degree or qualification during a redundancy process. Wayne Norman worked as a senior construction consultant for the supermarket chain in Doncaster for almost 23 years before being made redundant in March 2023, aged 63 years old. Mr Norman was first informed of the proposed redundancies during a meeting in January 2023 when he discovered he was among three construction consultants up for

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19th May 2025
Person marking digital checklists on a laptop with a notebook on the desk.

New Right to Work Checks Explained! Are You Compliant?

Under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, there is a legal requirement for UK employers to check that a job applicant has the legal right to work (RTW) before employment begins, regardless of nationality. Completing due diligence before an employee starts their employment will mitigate the risk of a civil penalty and provide a statutory excuse which can prevent significant penalties if it is later found that an employee is working illegally. Earlier this year, the Home Office introduced

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28th April 2025
Symbol representing gender equality with male and female icons and an equals sign.

Closing the gender pay gap with free childcare!

The government is making its biggest ever investment into early years by doubling the amount invested to over £8 billion next year, helping working parents back into work and boosting household finances. From September 2025, eligible working parents will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare for children from 9 months old up to school age, exceeding the current 15-hour entitlement for 2-year-olds. Working families utilising the full 30 hours a week free childcare could save an average

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24th April 2025
Close-up of a baby holding an adult's finger.

The Right to Neonatal Care Leave and Pay: Guidance for Employers

The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023 and came into force on 6 April 2025. This new statutory entitlement will give thousands of eligible parents with children in neonatal care the right to additional leave and pay. This article provides guidance for employers to understand these changes. What is neonatal care? Neonatal care refers to the care a newborn baby receives if they are born prematurely, have a low birth weight or

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15th April 2025
sad female nurse at hospital corridor

No brew for you!

NHS nurse wins tribunal claim for unfair constructive dismissal after alleging she was bullied by a colleague who said, ‘I don’t like you’ and deliberately left her out of the morning tea rounds. The claimant, Susan Hamilton, a diabetes specialist nurse at the trust, cited she was subject to ‘cruel bullying behaviours’ by dietician Abdool Nayeck, following a disagreement in 2018 when she raised concerns about his job performance. It was alleged that Mr Nayeck deliberately ignored the claimant, excluded her

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17th March 2025
shutterstock 1007120005 #metoo resized

Navigating the changes in sexual harassment legislation

The HR team at ITV may currently be pondering the complexities of employment law as it applies to the thorny issue of sexual harassment following the recent allegations surrounding Gino D’Acampo. Unfortunately, these issues have only got more complex for HR professionals following amendments to the Equality Act introduced on 26 October last year. The Worker Protection Act 2023 places a legal obligation on employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. If they don’t, they

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10th March 2025
Doctor checking old woman patient arterial blood pressure. Healt

Is sickness absence crippling your business?

During the last quarter of 2023, there was a peak of just over 2.84 million people in the UK not working due to long-term sickness absence, a considerable rise from just over two million in 2019. Sickness absence rates are continuing to grow year on year with stress, depression or anxiety and musculoskeletal disorders accounting for the majority of days lost due to work-related ill health. If not managed correctly, sickness absence can result in financial costs to the employer

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3rd March 2025

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