HR Tip – Children on site at weekend

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 electricians often brings his two children into the factory whilst doing maintenance work at the weekend. He says it is good experience for them and that in any case […]

HR Tip – what should I do about workplace affairs?

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 woman in my department is having an affair with a married man who works in another department. I and one or two of my staff thoroughly disapprove of this. What can […]

HR Tip – disabled workers

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 woman with only one arm has applied for our vacancy for a payroll clerk. We are concerned that she will not be able to operate the computer keyboard efficiently or quickly […]

HR Tip – attitude problems

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 my employees has an attitude problem that I would like to resolve, but there is nothing I can really discipline him for. He uses bad language, walks into my office […]

HR Tip – selection for redundancy

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: To save money our company abolished the position of receptionist. However they gave the receptionist the job of a payroll clerk who had much shorter service and dismissed the clerk. Surely that […]

HR Tip – Custom and practice for leaving early

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: Our employees’ contracts require them to work until 5.00 pm but for some time they have been leaving at 4.30pm on Fridays. I want to put a stop to this but they […]

HR Tip – Bank Holiday working

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 we force employees to work on Bank Holidays? A: When offering employment you can require candidates to work or to not work on certain days, provided you allow them at least […]

HR Tip – New disciplinary and dismissal procedures

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: When the new statutory disciplinary and dismissal procedures come into force, will our existing disciplinary procedure become redundant? A: The new procedures, which are expected to come into force early next year, are […]

HR Tip – Time off work for funerals

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 time should we allow employees to have off work to attend funerals? Should they be paid? Some of our managers are considerably more generous than others and it is causing […]

HR Tip – References and employment tribunals

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 usually provide references on ex-employees. However one man who recently left us, although a good worker, twice took us to an Employment Tribunal claiming sex discrimination, but each time he lost. Are […]

HR Tip – Translating rules

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 a large ethnic group in our workforce, some members of which have poor English and as a result fail to comply with rules such as sickness absence notification. Are we […]

HR Tip – Banning smoking at 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: Are we entitled to introduce a smoking ban and, if so, how? Must we provide a smoking room or allow people to leave the premises for a smoke? Most of our employees […]

HR Tip – burden of proof

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 recently wanted to dismiss an employee for fiddling his expenses but we didn't have absolute proof, so let him off. Was this the right thing to do? A: Had the employee […]

HR Tip – do we need written contracts of employment?

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 never issued written contracts to our employees. How do we stand? A: You are not complying with the law if you fail to issue either a written contract or written […]

How to get a grant and improve productivity

Industry Minister Alan Johnson yesterday invited companies to apply for grants from the DTI's Partnership Fund, set-up to help businesses and organisations develop partnerships at work and encourage the spread of information about best partnership practice. Alan Johnson said, "Partnership at work is essential for companies who want to prosper in today's modern economy. It […]

Employment Minister backs jobs for disadvantaged communities

Employment Minister Tessa Jowell today pledged Government support for ground breaking schemes run by local communities to create jobs in deprived areas. Ms Jowell said the Government's New Deal Innovation Fund was producing excellent results in around 50 schemes across the country helping disadvantaged people find jobs. A further £9.5 million is available over the […]