HR Tip: Returning company clothing

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 issue uniform fleece jackets to our outside workers. These are good quality and very desirable, and as a result some employees fail to return them to us when they leave. Can […]

HR Tip: Racial balance

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: Are we obliged to have a ratio of black employees that reflects the make-up of the local community? Should we make a point of taking on more black people in preference to […]

HR Tip: Frequent absence with plausible reasons

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 an employee who is regularly absent on Mondays and Fridays. He always self-certifies with a plausible reason. What can we do? A: The first thing you should do is talk […]

HR Tip: Bad language in the workplace

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: One of our employees uses bad language fairly regularly. He doesn’t do it to abuse people so it is not harassment, but nevertheless some employees have complained. We have spoken to the […]

HR Tip: Revealing employee information

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 debt collection agency has asked for the whereabouts of one of our employees whom we know is notorious for owing money. Where do we stand? A: Whatever your feelings, you must not […]

HR Tip: Wage deductions for parking fines

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 just paid the parking fine of a company car driver and now wish to deduct it from his wages. Can we? A: You may do this only if you have written […]

HR Tip – Sex discrimination

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 just taken on four lads as engineering apprentices but have been told that we are breaking the law because we haven't employed any girls. Is this true? A: You will be […]

HR Tip – Disciplinary records notetaking

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: How can I make accurate notes during a disciplinary hearing? If I am writing I cannot also listen. Please can you offer some advice. A: It is indeed difficult to listen carefully […]

HR Tip – Gross misconduct

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 exactly is gross misconduct? A: Gross misconduct is behaviour that is so serious that it constitutes a fundamental breach of the contract and would make continuation of the employment relationship intolerable. You […]

HR Tip – Employee sent to prison

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: One of our employees has been sentenced to three months in prison for an offence unconnected with work. Nevertheless his absence is an inconvenience and we would like to replace him. Can […]

HR Tip – Probation periods

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: All our new employees start on a six month probation period and, if satisfactory, we keep them on. Does this probation period count as part of their service? A: Yes, their service counts […]

HR Tip – Breach of notice period

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: An employee has just left us. His contract requires him to give us one month’s notice, but he insisted on leaving after only one week because his next employer was not prepared […]

HR Tip – Notice for senior staff

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: How much notice should senior staff be on? We have been told that one month is not enough. A: The law requires that employees, regardless of status, who have one month of […]

HR Tip – A promotion that failed

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 promoted a man to a team leader position a few weeks ago, but it just is not working out. What can we do? Can we fire him? A: You are dealing […]

HR Tip – Fixing holidays

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: Are we entitled to fix holidays for our employees rather than let them take them when they choose? A: You certainly can fix as many of the holidays as you wish for […]

HR Tip – Holidays for temporary employees

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: Are we obliged to give holidays to temporary employees. If so, how much? A: If the temporary employees are supplied by an agency then they are not your employees and the responsibility […]

HR Tip – Behaviour outside work

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: An employee was recently thrown out of a pub having, we understand, caused a lot of damage. Can we fire him? A: Probably not. What the person did was in his own […]

HR Tip – Suspension from work

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: In what circumstances are we entitled to suspend employees from work, with or without pay? A: You may suspend someone from work for a reasonable period at any time provided you continue […]

HR Tip – Informing employees of new legislation

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: Do we have a responsibility to make employees aware of new employment legislation? A: No, you do not. However, it is usually in your own best interest to do so. New legislation […]

HR Tip – Deductions from wages for scooter loan

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: The boss has agreed to give an employee a loan to buy a motor scooter because he says he has difficulty getting to work. The loan is to be repaid by regular […]