Category: Policies and procedures

Why HR policies are important
Employment contracts
Emma Browning

Why are HR policies SO important?

HR policies are as important to your business as laws of the land. They provide your organisation with written guidance on how employees should behave and your expectations. They’re there to protect you, your business and your employees. For that reason, it’s incredibly important for your policies to be really clear and understood by everyone. However, we see many policies that are unclear, outdated and inaccessible to people who need them. Which can lead to confusion, frustration and compliance issues. In our latest video, we discuss 3 ways you can…
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Q. Do we need to train Employees on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) annually?

We’ve heard that we need to train our employees on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) on an annual basis – is this correct? Equality, ( sometimes now referred to as Equity) Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) training aims to educate employers and employees about what it takes to achieve a fair and just work environment, where everyone is valued and respected. But, is EDI training mandatory?  Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training (EDI) is not a legal requirement for employers. However, while EDI training is not legally mandated, it has become increasingly…
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Q. Can we revoke an employment offer?

Job offers usually fall into two categories: Conditional: A job offer is made based on set criteria being met. A job offer can be withdrawn at any time if it’s found that the conditions set out in the offer haven’t been met. These conditions may include: Being unable to demonstrate eligibility to work in the country. Failing to hold or provide qualifications specific to that job role. Not being able to provide satisfactory references. Being unable to pass any background checks that have been requested. Unconditional: A job offer is…
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Q. Who has to be informed and consulted on a TUPE transfer?

When a TUPE transfer occurs, before the transfer, both the old and new employers must by law, inform and consult with a recognised trade union or employee representatives. To ‘inform’ is when you tell your affected employees or their representatives the facts about the transfer. To ‘consult’ is when you talk and listen to affected employees or their representatives on expected ‘measures’ which are effectively changes that could affect employees and genuinely consider their views. There is no fixed length of time for employers to inform and consult employees and…
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Q. Who owns an employee’s Linkedin contacts if they were created as a result of their employment?

Is it the employer or the employee? LinkedIn contacts are key for many employers, as they may use LinkedIn to generate new business contacts. Departing employees could use the LinkedIn contacts that they created during their employment for their own, or a competitors’ benefit. So many employers will want their employment contractual terms and procedures to protect their business and its intellectual property. Many businesses will include standard confidentiality provisions, which will prohibit the use of confidential information belonging to the company. They may also have terms which specifically mention…
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Q. Do we need to have a Menopause Policy?

In short, yes! New guidance on menopause in the workplace, setting out employer’s legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, was issued in February by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Many women report experiencing negative impacts of menopausal symptoms in the workplace, with some even feeling compelled to leave their jobs as a result. Research shows that one in ten women surveyed who have worked during the menopause have left their jobs due to symptoms, while two thirds of working women between the ages of 40 and 60…
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Q. What is Constructive Dismissal?

You’ve probably heard the term ‘constructive dismissal’ before, but are you clear on what it actually means? Constructive dismissal is the term that applies when a change to an employee’s working conditions or unfair treatment forces them to quit. Sometimes this is confused with unfair dismissal, which is where you fire the employee. With constructive dismissal, the employee feels “forced” out of the business due to conditions beyond their control (such as their employer’s behaviour). Usually, an employee can only claim constructive dismissal if they’ve been employed with a company…
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Employment Law changes April 2024
Employment contracts
Emma Browning

Employment Law Changes for April 2024

Here’s our summary of the new Employment Laws that come into effect on the 1st April Pay and Statutory Payments National Minimum Wage updates which come into effect on the 1st April 2024 NMW Rate Increase Amount % increase National Living Wage (21 and over) £   11.44 9.8% 18-20 Year Old Rate £     8.60 14.8% 16-17 Year Old Rate £     6.40 21.2% Apprentice Rate £     6.40 21.2% Accommodation Offset £     9.99 9.8%   All Statutory Family Leave payments; maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and parental bereavement pay will increase as…
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balanced scales
Employment contracts
elinabyrne

Can you afford a £45,000 fine from the Home Office?

For not having the right to work documentation in place for every employee that works for you. As an employer, you have a legal obligation to check the right to work documentation for every employee that works for you. Currently, if you fail to have the right documentation on file for every employee that works for you, as a first offence, you could be fined £15,000 per employee who doesn’t have the right documentation on file. This fine has been in place since 2014, and we routinely check this documentation…
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Employment law
elinabyrne

Nationwide’s return to office mandate and how it backfired with a £350K tribunal bill

Nationwide Building Society has been ordered to pay more than £350,000 in compensation to a former employee who was made redundant after refusing to abide by its return-to-office (RTO) mandate. Jayne Follows, who the tribunal heard was a “top performer” at work and carer to an elderly and disabled mother, successfully brought a claim of indirect disability discrimination and unfair dismissal against the bank. The result ends a five-year dispute between the two parties, which started in 2017 after Follows was told she was at risk of redundancy for refusing…
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