What’s the answer? Pay during probation
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
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
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
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
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 […]
HR Tip: Refusing SSP
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: Can I refuse to pay Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to a man if I doubt that his self-certified sickness was genuine? A: Yes, provided you have carried out a thorough investigation and […]
Immigration: A brave new world?
Reed Smith explain the new rules, effective as of 7 March 2006, governing business immigration. On 7 March 2006 the Government unveiled further detail on its proposals to overhaul the UK immigration rules which been in force for over 20 years. The contents of the command paper entitled “A Points Based System: Making Migration Work […]
What’s the answer? Employee charged with a crime
Sam Bailey gets legal guidance this week from Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Guy Guinan, employment partner at Halliwells law firm on whether dismissal is an option. The question:“If an employee has been charged with a crime and we feel it affects our trust in the employee as well as potentially […]
Employment law briefing: Implied contracts of employment
The employment status of temps has been at the centre of numerous cases and much academic debate for a number of years. A recent court decision involving Cable and Wireless has turned the spotlight back on this area of law. Following this closely watched case, what are the exact implications for employers of using agency […]
What’s the answer? Bonus payments during maternity
Amanda Celliers gets legal guidance this week from Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Chris Syder, Partner and Head of Employment at the London office of Clarkslegal LLP on the rules governing bonus payments for those on maternity leave The question:”An annual bonus scheme which is made up of a profit share […]
HR Tip: Role of companion
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 is the role of the companion in disciplinary hearings? A: The role of the companion is to hold the hand, metaphorically, of the accused and ensure that their rights are respected. To […]
HR Tip: Contractual Changes
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 have agreed a change in overtime arrangements and thus a change in terms and conditions. Should we issue new contracts? A: No, there is no need to issue new contracts unless […]
HR Tip: New evidence following disciplinary sanction
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 dismissed an employee following a thorough investigation and properly conducted disciplinary hearing. All the evidence pointed to his guilt. Now however we have received new evidence that shows that he was […]
HR Tip: National Insurance Numbers
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 can be done to minimise the problem of missing NI numbers? A: Most employers have difficulty in obtaining a National Insurance (NI) number for every employee. Some new employees are just […]
HR Tip: Right to car parking spaces
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 need to use part of the existing staff car park for an office extension and the employees are complaining and claiming that custom and practice allows them to continue using the […]
SOSR dismissal: A managerial prerogative?
Alison Wallace, head of employment practice at Steptoe & Johnson solicitors looks at recent case law which sheds some light on the grey area of dismissal for ‘some other substantial’ reason. Section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 requires an employer to prove the reason for dismissal being either proscribed reasons or for “some […]
Indirect sex discrimination: A clouded view?
A 6ft 10 inch tall graduate recently lost a sex discrimination claim against National Traffic Services, who had first offered him a job and then withdrew it on safety grounds because of his height; Paul Lambdin, Partner in employment at Stevens & Bolton LLP looks at the thorny issue of indirect sex discrimination. The applicant […]
Legal focus: RSI a pain in the neck?
Member, Jo Oxley recently requested some advice on the considerations of taking on a typist who suffers with neck and shoulder problems in response to this we asked Scottish law firm Dundas and Wilson to offer their expert guidance; read on to see their hot tips and pointers. The question: We are recruiting a typist […]
The ‘neurosis’ affliction – screening in the workplace
Carl Laidler, Managing Director of Prevent plc looks at Britain’s obsession with wellbeing and the steady creep towards US style workplace health screening. It is no surprise that levels of neurosis in the UK are increasing when you consider the amount of media coverage dedicated to health. Over the last couple of years you haven’t […]
Information and Consultation – Jaw, Jaw not War, War
Sarah Smith of Bevans solicitors discusses the new Information and Consultation Regulations that came into force in March. If you are an owner, manager or HR manager of a business with more than 150 employees then March was an important month for you and not because it meant that you had a four day bank […]
