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HR / Employment Law News

volunteers week

Should employers promote volunteering?

This next week is Volunteers Week (1-7 June) which is an opportunity to recognise the contribution people make through volunteering. Research from Pilotlight indicates that 21% (approximately 6 million people) of the UK workforce are currently utilising their work skills for volunteering, which is benefitting 8,300 charities and social enterprises every year. Benefits to the volunteer Volunteering is a great way to make a difference and give something back, allowing people to connect with their community and make it a

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1st June 2023

Fertility treatment and the workplace

Fertility treatment in the workplace has been an increasingly talked about topic since the Fertility Treatment (Employment Rights) Bill was submitted to the house of commons in November 2022 and the Fertility Workplace Pledge launch last year. The pledge kicked off with signatures from large companies such as NatWest group, The Co-op group, Metro Bank group, The Guardian, Channel 4 and UK Hospitality. Whether your company, or the company you work within, is large or small, there is a fair

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30th May 2023

New bill guaranteeing tips for hospitality workers

Trade unions and other campaigners have called for legislation to ban unfair tipping practices following media reports in 2015 of employers in UK restaurant chains and the wider hospitality industry taking a proportion of employees’ tips. The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill is a private member’s bill sponsored by Lord Robathan to introduce a legal obligation on employers to ensure all tips, gratuities and service charges are paid to workers in full, without deductions. The bill makes similar provision for troncs, which are

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30th March 2023

Minimum wage rates are increasing – are you ready?

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) are the legal minimum wage rates that must be paid to employees in the UK and are based on age and apprenticeship level. NMW is the minimum hourly rate of pay for workers under 23 (or first year apprentices) NLW is the minimum hourly rate of pay for workers over 23 years of age On the 1 April 2023, the NLW is increasing to £10.42 per hour, a significant jump from the current

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23rd March 2023

Largest 4-day week pilot study – was it a success?

The results of the world’s largest 4-day working week trial, conducted by 4 Day Week Global, in partnership with the think tank Autonomy, the 4 Day Week Campaign, and researchers at the University of Cambridge and Boston College, have recently been published. The 6-month trial took place in the UK from June to December 2022, and involved 61 companies and around 2,900 workers. The report found that overall, the trial had been a ‘resounding success’ and that revenue increased by over

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28th February 2023
king charles III coronation the mall and buckingham palace

The King’s Coronation: Preparing for the extra bank holiday

Monday 8 May 2023 has been designated as an extra bank holiday to mark the coronation of King Charles III, which will take place on Saturday 6 May. However, as the nation comes together to celebrate this occasion, have you considered how the extra bank holiday may affect your business? Who is entitled to this extra bank holiday? Employers aren’t legally obliged to give their workers time off just because an extra bank holiday has been announced. There is actually

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9th February 2023
why you should hire an apprentice

Why Employers could be missing a trick if they don’t consider Apprenticeships

There is a growing demand for apprenticeships in the UK with an increase in 17-19 years olds preferring this to a traditional degree course or entry-level job, to acquire skills and valuable industry experience, whilst getting paid at the same time!  This on-the-job training combined with formal learning delivered by a college, university, or training provider, leads to a formal assessment and a nationally recognised qualification. In this article we discuss who is eligible for an apprenticeship, how they are

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6th February 2023
embracing neurodiversity in the workplace

Embracing neurodiversity in the workplace

Although the term neurodiversity isn’t new, its awareness has certainly increased in recent years. Promoting a diverse and inclusive culture is now more important than ever. However, many Diversity, Equality & Inclusion strategies only focus on gender, ethnicity and cultural background. With the current skills shortage and ‘The Great Resignation leaving some organisations struggling to recruit, is it time that your organisation’s DE&I strategy embraced neurodiversity and the benefits it can bring? What is neurodiversity? Neurodiversity refers to the different ways

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30th January 2023

How school leavers are shaping future talent

The government is investing millions of pounds to give young people access to T Level qualifications to help them gain the skills they need to secure rewarding careers. What are T Levels? T Levels are 2-year courses which are equivalent to 3 A Levels and are becoming one of the main choices for students following GCSE’s. Based on the same standards as apprenticeships, T Levels have been developed in collaboration with employers and education providers to meet industry needs and

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16th January 2023
Employment Tribunal Solicitor

Annual Employment Tribunal stats published

The latest Employment Tribunal Solicitors and EAT statistics have been published by the Ministry of Justice. They cover the period April 2021 to March 2022 and whilst they don’t include how many claims were made during this time (due to the Tribunal transitioning to a new database), they’re still useful in assessing employment litigation trends. The full report is available here (ref: Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal Tables 2021 to 2022), but the headlines are as follows: Unfair Dismissal

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12th January 2023
work christmas party

What every employer should know as we approach the Christmas party season

The Christmas party season is now well and truly upon us. Following the disruption caused by the pandemic which meant parties were held virtually or put on hold, this year employers are now returning to more traditional celebrations. The annual Christmas bash is a great way to reward staff and boost morale. However, if not managed correctly these social occasions can often present risks for employers, with alcohol induced absences and inappropriate behaviour. Here are some tips for avoiding a

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28th November 2022
tackling HR issues during the world cup

How to tackle HR issues during the FIFA World Cup 2022

The FIFA World Cup 2022 has been surrounded with controversy with regards to host Qatar’s poor human rights and LGBTQA record, but although there are some people who may boycott the tournament altogether, there will be many who will still be watching to cheer their team along. As the tournament kicks off, employers might find themselves with an influx of holiday or time off requests and there may well be an increase in sickness or unauthorised absence. So how do

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21st November 2022
recruitment and retention trends for 2023

5 HR Trends for 2023 to improve recruitment and boost staff retention

HR has changed significantly in recent years, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, which presented new challenges and caused a major shift in organisational cultures as HR teams had to quickly adapt and evolve. As more and more people evaluate their work-life balance, what does the future hold for HR as we head into 2023? In this article, we have lined up 5 HR trends which will improve recruitment and boost staff retention. 1. Flexibility is here to stay

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3rd November 2022
bullying and harassment working from home

Tackling workplace bullying in the remote era

We have seen a rapid increase in digital communication with channels such as Whats App, Slack and Teams offering valuable opportunities for employees to collaborate and maintain contact while working from home. However, with the escalation of home working our working environments have become less formal and the boundaries between our professional and private lives have become blurred. Communication lines are now easier to cross, particularly when these apps have previously been used more for social interaction. Bullying claims are

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17th October 2022
cost of living crisis

Will the cost-of-living crisis see a return to the office?

As the cost-of-living crisis deepens with soaring energy prices and inflation at its highest rate in 40 years, some home workers are considering a return to the workplace as they look for ways to reduce their energy bills. The coronavirus pandemic re-shaped the working landscape as the hybrid working model became a popular choice for employees. However, those working from home are now having to weigh up the savings in commuting costs, against the rising costs of heating their homes.

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15th September 2022

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