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Downing Street SW1 street sign in the City of Westminster, London, mounted on a beige stone wall.

What does the Government’s ‘New Deal for Working People’ mean for employers?

During the election campaign, the Labour Party’s ‘Plan to Make Work Pay’ (the New Deal for working people) proposed significant employment law reforms which focused on employment issues such as low wages, zero hours contracts and fire and rehire. The Labour Government delivered its first King’s Speech on 17 July which promised to introduce an Employment Rights Bill within the first one hundred days of office and committed to delivering the following: Zero hours contracts The Government has confirmed it will

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23rd July 2024
Relaxed man in a blue t-shirt, hat and sunglasses, sitting in an office with feet on the desk, talking on the phone.

Tips for employers on how to avoid the ‘summer slack’

Summer is here at last with the UK having experienced a recent heatwave. But as temperatures continue to soar over the summer months (fingers crossed), employers should brace themselves for a less motivated workforce and a flurry of ‘sickies’. According to new research by Dayforce, 45% of full-time employees in the UK admit they are less productive during the summer, and for those aged 18-34 this jumps to 57%. During nice weather, everyone is yearning to get outside and enjoy

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3rd July 2024
Judge's gavel next to wooden blocks displaying the year 2024.

5 key employment law changes still to come in 2024

There are a number of significant employment law changes due to be introduced before the end of the year with the aim of enhancing employee rights and improving working conditions. Here are some of the key changes you need to be aware of: 1) TUPE – 1 July 2024 The Employment Rights (Amendment, Revocation and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2023 will amend certain rules relating to TUPE transfers and consultations. To help streamline the consultation process, small organisations with fewer than

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1st July 2024
Young woman in a therapy session, sitting thoughtfully with a counselor in the background.

Government introduces new ‘WorkWell’ pilot scheme

Last month, the Department for Work and Pensions and Department of Health and Social Care announced the launch of ‘WorkWell’ pilots, part of the Government’s £2.5 billion ‘Back to Work Plan’ aimed at providing support for people with long-term health conditions, disabilities, and long-term unemployment in their local area, so they can stay in work or return to work. The new £64 million scheme will be rolled out from October 2024 in 15 areas in England and comes following the

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24th June 2024
Orange lifebuoy attached to a wooden post on a sandy beach with the sea in the background.

Coastguard volunteer classed as ‘worker’ by the Employment Appeal Tribunal

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled that a volunteer for the Coastguard Rescue Service (CRS) was a ‘worker’ when performing activities for which he was entitled to claim payment. Mr Groom was a volunteer Coastal Rescue Officer (CRO) for the CRS and worked under a volunteer agreement. The handbook described membership of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) as ‘entirely voluntary’ and stated that the relationship between MCA and its volunteers was a ‘voluntary two-way commitment where no contract of employment

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19th June 2024
Volunteers sorting food and clothes at a donation centre.

Why volunteering is good for business

This week is Volunteers’ Week (3-9 June) which is an opportunity to recognise the contribution people make through volunteering. An estimated 14.2 million people in the UK volunteered through a group, club or organisation in 2021/22. Research from Pilotlight indicates that approximately 6 million of the UK workforce utilise their work skills for volunteering, benefitting over 8,000 charities and social enterprises every year.  Benefits to the volunteer Volunteering is a great way to make a difference and give something back,

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4th June 2024
Judge's gavel resting on a desk in an empty courtroom.

Employee with severe Menopause symptoms wins claim of disability discrimination

An administrator who worked at a crane hire business for 27 years and whose manager ignored her complaints, has won a disability discrimination case relating to menopause. The tribunal heard how the claimant’s symptoms had a ‘profound’ impact on her ‘day to day activities’ and ‘it felt to her like she had a goldfish bowl on her head’.  The claimant experienced a wide range of both mental health and physical symptoms including, low mood, anxiety, low self-esteem, tiredness, fatigue and

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29th May 2024
Group of smiling teenagers sitting outdoors, reading and writing together.

How to get the best out of young people entering the world of work

With exam season in full swing, there will soon be thousands of school, college and university leavers considering their next move, with many seeking an apprenticeship or full-time employment. Young workers can be an effective way to grow talent and develop a motivated, skilled, and qualified workforce. However, the journey from education to the workplace can often be a difficult time as the change in approach and behaviour that is expected is significant. The Gen Z cohort, who make up

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23rd May 2024
Chelsea Stamford Bridge

Premier League groundsman unfairly dismissed but scores ‘own goal’

The London Central Employment Tribunal has found that a groundsman at a Premier League Football Club was unfairly dismissed when the club sacked him with immediate effect and without investigation. The tribunal heard how in 2021 the employee began a period of sick leave citing ‘stress at work’.  In October 2021, he submitted a grievance against his manager alleging that at the works Christmas party in 2019 he had spiked his drinks, let the tyres on his car down, ‘pursued

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7th May 2024
Asian young girl cold sick she sneeze with tissue paper on sofa

Is sickness absence slowing your business?

Whilst some level of absence in the workplace is unavoidable, if not managed correctly, sickness absence can escalate, resulting in financial costs and reduced employee morale. Recently reported stats include: In July 2023, the number of people absent from work due to long-term sickness in the UK rose by more than 30%. In 2022, the sickness absence rate in the UK rose to 2.6%, the highest it’s been since 2004 when it was 2.7%. In 2022, the number of working days

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25th March 2024
woman packing up belongings at desk redundancy

How to ensure a fair redundancy process

After rising sharply during the pandemic, redundancy levels reached their lowest since records began from the period March to May 2022, as businesses struggled to recruit in a tight labour market. However, as labour demands have now slowed, redundancies have increased. And with the continuing challenges associated with rising costs, many employers may find themselves planning redundancies, some for the first time. Employers have certain obligations when considering redundancy, whether it relates to a standalone position or a group. Redundancy dismissal

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18th March 2024
2024 text with hourglass on table. Resolution, time, plan, goal,

Key employment law changes in April

There are a number of Employment Law changes due to be introduced in April. COVID holiday carryover The law that allowed up to 4 weeks of annual leave to be carried over into the next 2 holiday years has ceased to apply, meaning that carried over leave must be used by 31 March. Minimum Wage The National Living Wage age band will be widened to incorporate those aged 21 and over and NLW and NMW rates will rise from 1 April

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11th March 2024
father eating working from home

The right to request flexible working is changing!

In July 2023, the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill received royal assent and became the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023. The Bill introduces some significant changes to current UK employment law from 6 April. This article summarises these changes and what they mean for employers. Current position 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.  This includes requests for part-time, term-time, flexitime,

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7th March 2024
UK Pound Sterling And Law Symbol Cost Of Justice Concept

Government consults about the reintroduction of tribunal fees

The Conservative Government has launched a consultation proposing the reintroduction of ‘modest’ Employment Tribunal fees. The consultation, available until 25 March 2024, seeks to reinstate fees for claimants, aiming to offset the tribunals’ running costs. Unlike other Civil Courts, the Employment Tribunal provides a (theoretically!) less formal venue for employees to address alleged breaches of employment rights by their employers. Previously fee-free, the Employment Tribunal implemented a fee system in July 2013, categorising claims into Type A or B, each

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20th February 2024
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

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7th February 2024