HR Tip: Appeal against Employment Tribunal decision

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: "We lost a case of unfair dismissal in the Employment Tribunal. We believe that the Tribunal did not take fully into account the difficulties under which we have to work. Can we […]

What’s the answer? Withdrawing a verbal offer of employment

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Claire Paton gets legal guidance this week from Sarah Bird, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve on how to make a u-turn on a verbal offer of employment.   The question:If I have made a verbal offer of employment and the individual […]

HR Tip: Notice for senior staff

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: “What notice periods should we write into senior staff contracts?” A: That is entirely up to you and the employee to agree. There is no requirement for senior staff to be put on […]

HR Tip: Instant dismissal

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: “When can we instantly dismiss someone?” HR Tip: Hardly ever. For the worst kind of offence you can dismiss without notice but before doing so you must thoroughly investigate and then conduct […]

HR Tip: When to issue contractual statements

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: “Exactly when should we issue written statements of terms and conditions of employment?” A: Every employee with one month of service is entitled to a written statement of terms and conditions of […]

Moves To Close ‘Bank Holiday Loophole’

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Employers who force workers to count bank holidays as part of their 20 days’ statutory paid leave could find their hands tied if government plans to close the loophole get the go-ahead. The DTI has launched a consultation on whether to increase the statutory 20 days’ paid leave to 28 days. Although employers would not […]

What’s the answer? Teletoddler

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Alanna King gets legal guidance this week from Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve and Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson on whether to allow an employee to access a nursery web link whilst at work. The question:I have been asked by an employee to allow access […]

What’s the answer? TUPE with less than 12 months service?

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Chris Burgess gets legal guidance this week from Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve and Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson on whether TUPE rules apply where employees have less then a year’s employment service with the same employer. The question:We are a small company of 16 […]

Off the record: Dealing with employees on long-term sick leave

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Sick pay malingerers can be a real drag especially with cases that are dubious and over the long-term cause administrative headaches and a serious dent in productivity and the bottom line; Daniel Isaac, partner in the employment team, at City law firm Withers explains how to deal with ill-health. There are two types of employee […]

What’s the answer? Worker covering maternity leave is pregnant

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Linda Hunt gets legal guidance this week from Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve on how to deal with a succession of pregnant employees. The question:We have someone covering for an employee on maternity leave, they have only been here […]

What’s the answer? Maternity leave and redundancy… continued

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Helen Badger, employment law expert, Browne JacobsonThere is no specified period for which an employee has to work for her employer after maternity leave before an employer can dismiss on the grounds of redundancy. However, an employee on maternity leave or due to return from maternity leave does have some additional protection over and above […]

What’s the answer? Maternity leave and redundancy

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An HR Zone member gets legal guidance this week from Vanessa Di Cuffa, Solicitor at Mills & Reeve and Helen Badger, employment law expert, Browne Jacobson on whether it is legal to make an employee redundant whilst on maternity leave. The question:“We have a marketing administrator going on maternity leave at the end of May. […]

HR Tip: Custom and practice

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: “Although our contracts of employment require people to work nine to five Monday to Friday they leave at about 4.00 pm on Fridays. Can we bring them back to a 5.00 pm […]

What’s the answer? Docking pay/paying late

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Michelle M gets legal guidance this week from Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve on the law regarding pay. The question:“Can an employer dock an employees pay by £5 for turning in their timesheet late? “Also, can the employee be […]

HR Tip: Sex discrimination

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These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: “A man has applied for a job. If he gets it he will be the only man in a workroom of forty women. This seems hardly fair. What should we do?” A: […]

What’s the answer? Pay during probation

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Rameni Caussy gets legal guidance this week from Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve on the law regarding the obligation to pay an employee dismissed while in the early stages of their probationary period. The question:“We have a situation where […]

Comment: The impact of age discrimination laws on service related awards

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How will new regulations outlawing age discrimination affect service related award schemes? Amanda Shaw, head of HR at Cottrills, comments on the Employment Equality (Age) Regulation 2006 draft paper. Until now, there has been no legislation dealing with age discrimination in Great Britain. This will change in October 2006 when legislation will be introduced outlawing […]

What’s the answer? Notice periods

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Karen Beardsley gets legal guidance this week from Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve on the law regarding notice periods. The question:"Can anyone help on the law regarding notice periods? Do we have to give notice to someone who has […]

Gaynor’s Thoughts: Happy redundancies – a life changing opportunity

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Roy Gaynor, Managing Director of management consultants' training and support network, Navisys Academy recounts his experiences as a head of HR, when he had to make redundancies and reflects on what he learned about the process from those that lost their jobs. I was once the head of HR at an engineering company that employed […]

Off the record: Dealing with an office romance

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Daniel Isaac, a principal in the employment team at City law firm Withers LLP explains how to manage two employees whose affair is affecting their work. With long working hours, workplace romances are on the increase. In the US, many employers have policies forbidding romantic relationships at work. These are less common in the UK […]