Subscribe

Twitter Linkedin

HR / Employment Law News

gavel and soundblock of justice law and lawyer working on wooden

Injury to Feelings in Discrimination Cases

A variety of claims can be filed in the Employment Tribunal (“ET”), and among them, discrimination claims under the Equality Act 2010 often stand out. The case facts can be interesting, and the compensation can be significant. If a discrimination claim is substantiated, the ET can make awards covering financial losses and “injury to feelings,” among other remedies. When examining a Claimant’s schedule of loss – which outlines their assessment of the value of their claims – special attention is

Read Full Article Here »
7th February 2024
Judge gavel with lawyers advice legal at law firm in background.

Security guard who had lost most of his sight found to have been unfairly dismissed by Mitie

A tribunal has ruled that security company Mitie failed to make reasonable adjustments for a security guard who had lost most of his sight and that his subsequent dismissal was unfair. The claimant was employed as a security guard from January 2018 until he was dismissed in September 2021. The tribunal heard that he first started to suffer problems in or around October 2020 and had lost all vision in his left eye and 75 per cent in his right

Read Full Article Here »
5th February 2024
2023 chcnge to 2024 year block with judge gavel on table. Law, l

5 Employment Law changes to prepare for in 2024

It is often difficult for employers and HR professionals to keep abreast with ever-evolving Employment Law. So with 2024 on the horizon, we have summarised 5 key Employment Law changes that organisations should be preparing for. Changes to Flexible Working As it currently stands, any employee who has worked in an organisation for 26 weeks or longer is entitled to make one formal flexible working request during any 12-month period.  The main headline in this regard is the introduction of

Read Full Article Here »
11th December 2023
Funny accountant bookkeeper working in the office

Changes to legislation regarding Holiday Leave and Pay – what do they mean for employers?

In the UK the right to paid annual leave is governed by the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR), which were themselves derived from the EU Working Time Directive. Since these regulations were drafted, the labour market has significantly evolved, particularly in terms of the growth of atypical and flexible working and the emergence of the gig economy, working arrangements which the WTR’s do not easily accommodate. In addition, there has been a large body of case law emanating from the

Read Full Article Here »
21st November 2023
Employee Wellbeing strategy

Employers without a Wellbeing strategy now in the minority!

According to new research from Mintago, the number of employees voicing wellbeing concerns is on the rise. However, a significant number of UK organisations are failing to provide sufficient wellbeing support. As part of the research, 503 senior managers within UK-based organisations, both in the public and private sector, were surveyed. The results revealed that in the past 12 months, an overwhelming majority (87%) had been approached by an employee to discuss wellbeing concerns. Mental health (48%), job satisfaction (43%)

Read Full Article Here »
9th November 2023
Retailer to pay £25k for failing to make reasonable adjustments

Retailer to pay £25k for failing to make reasonable adjustments

High Street Retailer ordered to pay £25k to a disabled worker after failing to make reasonable adjustments. An Employment Tribunal has ruled that motoring retailer, Halfords Autocentres Ltd, discriminated against an employee with cerebral palsy on the basis of his disability. The employee began working at Halfords Autocentre in Milton Keynes in October 2019. He disclosed his condition during the interview and explained that he struggled with some tasks, such as changing tyres. His condition affected his left side, producing

Read Full Article Here »
2nd November 2023
disciplinary process

5 critical steps to a fair disciplinary process

Managing disciplinary issues in the workplace is something few managers relish. However, employers could be exposed to potentially valid unfair dismissal claims if the fundamental basics are not followed. Most organisations will have their own policies and procedures which must be adhered to when managing disciplinary issues. However, those procedures must also comply with the relevant ACAS Code of Practice. Handling a disciplinary issue can be a daunting prospect. In this article we look at 5 steps which are critical

Read Full Article Here »
23rd October 2023
Resolving Workplace Conflict

Mediation: An effective and efficient way of resolving workplace conflict

Conflict in the workplace is unavoidable. Everyone has experienced it to some degree. Some conflict can be positive and constructive, if handled appropriately, but without the right process and structure in place it often ends up being damaging and destructive to an organisation. Mediation can be used at any stage in the conflict situation to try and get the working relationship back on track. When disputes occur, it will almost always result in a stressful and unpleasant working environment for

Read Full Article Here »
9th October 2023
ai in hr

How AI is reshaping the HR landscape

Artificial Intelligence (AI) could revolutionise the way HR professionals work. This article explores the key potential benefits which could be harnessed, but also the significant challenges involved. Recruitment & Retention No more filtering through mountains of CV’s, AI can do this for you. It can also conduct video interviews to assess candidate suitability and ensure a cultural fit, providing time and cost saving benefits during the recruitment process. AI could also help predict employee turnover by analysing job satisfaction and

Read Full Article Here »
2nd October 2023
employees cannot afford to be sick

Research indicates that many employees cannot afford to be sick

New data suggests that UK workers are being pushed to the brink of burnout, anxiety and depression due to financial worries as they fear they can’t afford to take time off when they are ill. Statutory sick pay (SSP) is currently £109.40 a week (around a third of the minimum wage). It is paid from the fourth consecutive day of illness for up to 28 weeks to eligible employees whose average weekly earnings are more than £123 a week, meaning

Read Full Article Here »
12th September 2023
Sexual harassment concept with man and woman in office

New duty on employers to proactively prevent sexual harassment in the workplace

Earlier this year, the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill passed through the House of Commons. This private member’s bill initially proposed amendments to the Equality Act 2010 to make employers liable for third-party harassment and to introduce a duty requiring employers to take ‘all reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. However, following a debate in the House of Lords in July, the new employer liability for third-party harassment has been dropped from the draft

Read Full Article Here »
4th September 2023
Overjoyed happy ginger woman in spectacles drinking coffee and holding laptop while walking outdoors

Is The Great Resignation now ‘over’?

Last year an unprecedented number of people quit their jobs, feeling the need to move organisations to progress their career, or achieve other personal goals following an extended period of working from home during the pandemic. As the job market improved at the fastest pace seen for many years, there were more opportunities for those wanting to move for better pay, benefits and job fulfilment. However, according to economists and labour market analysts, the phenomenon is now over, with the

Read Full Article Here »
21st August 2023
work accident

Latest fatality figures published by HSE

According to recent data published by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), 135 workers were killed in work-related incidents in Great Britain in the last year. The data covers the period from April 2022 to March 2023 and highlights an increase on last year’s figures, with the construction sector reporting most deaths. Other industries reporting high numbers of worker deaths include agriculture, forestry and fishing, manufacturing, and transportation and storage. Agriculture and forestry and fishing had the highest rate of

Read Full Article Here »
17th August 2023

GPs could be told to issue fewer sick notes – what would this mean for HR?

Under government plans to boost the economy, GPs could soon be told to issue fewer sick notes. The number of people out of the labour market due to long-term sickness absence has been rising in recent years.  Data from the Office for National Statistics revealed that between June and August 2022, around 2.5 million people reported long-term sickness as the main reason for economic inactivity (up from around 2 million in 2019). The Society of Occupational Medicine has reported that: “One-third

Read Full Article Here »
19th June 2023
appropriate office dress code

Are shorts and sliders suitable for the office?

Casual office dress codes were already on the increase before the pandemic, with ‘dress-down Friday’ a popular perk to end the week. However, the pandemic saw a major shift in dress code as workers swapped their traditional business attire for pyjamas and sweatpants, with a ‘zoom shirt’ hanging over the back of their chair for more formal meetings! Employers are increasingly reporting that workplace attire has become more casual since employees returned to the office.  Some have actively promoted this

Read Full Article Here »
15th June 2023

Welcome to the HR and Employment law section of our blog