The New Job Support Scheme – what you need to know

· by Emma Browning
The Government has issued a policy paper setting out eligibility criteria for the Job Support Scheme (JSS) generally and some details for the two forms of the scheme – JSS Open where the business is still allowed to remain open but still impacted and JSS Closed where the employer is forced by law to close (other than for a ‘specific outbreak’.) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-job-support-scheme/the-job-support-scheme) Unhelpfully they say that further guidance including eligibility criteria and what needs to go in the agreement will be published by the end of October – not hugely…

Coronavirus Update

· by Emma Browning
Thank you once again to Beverley Sunderland from Crossland Solicitors on Milton Park, South Oxfordshire for keeping us fully informed and briefed on all the latest legal changes so promptly! The Job Support Scheme announced on the 28th September Running for six months from 1st November until 30 April 2021, employees who are working at least a third of their normal working hours due to such a decrease in demand will be paid for the hours worked by their employer, but for the hours not worked, the employer and the…

Do you need HR Oxygen?

· by Emma Browning
Growing a business without HR expertise is challenging at best, and a constant uphill struggle at worst. If you’ve ever had to tackle a people issue on your own, you’ll know just how stressful it can be. Between trying to manage your legal obligations, and meeting your operational requirements, firefighting can become part of your everyday routine if you’re not careful. The last few months have shown us, how valuable it can be to have your HR Expert on speed dial. There is always the option to call upon HR…

Returning to the Workplace – Guide

· by Emma Browning
This guide will help you plan your organisation’s next steps as lockdown measures ease or following a period of furlough The CIPD is urging businesses to ensure they can meet three key tests before bringing their people back to the workplace and Meraki HR would encourage its clients to follow these 3 same principles; Is it essential? If people can continue to work from home employers should at least consider continuing to do that for the foreseeable future. If they cannot work from home, is their work deemed essential to…

Returning to the Workplace – FAQ’s

· by Emma Browning
Q: From a health, safety and well-being perspective, what are the employer’s obligations about managing a return to work? From 1 August Government guidance outlines that: Office workers may cautiously return to work from 1 August if it is safe to do so. The Government’s previous advice that workers should continue to work from home wherever possible and avoid public transport ends from 1 August. Any return to work by office staff is at the employers’ discretion. The onus is therefore on employers (not the Government) to decide how staff…
· by Emma Browning
Restructuring the Workplace post COVID-19 – FAQ’s for Employers The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (JRS) may have been extended to 31 October 2020, but employers are thinking now about what their workforce might look like following the end of subsidised furlough and a return to more normal working patterns. Following advice from a number of our legal sources; Draper Lang, Crosslands and Lewis Silkin, we’ve tried to summarise answers to key questions that we are being asked about regarding restructuring the workforce. These cover options for extending furlough, notice and…

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – June Update

· by Emma Browning
It’s hard to keep up with everything that’s being introduced in relation to the COVID19 Pandemic, so here’s our round up of the latest news and info. Summary of the changes to the JRS announced on Friday 29th May 2020 The Furlough Scheme will be closed to new entrants, and employees must have been on Furlough for 3 weeks prior to 30 June 2020 in order to qualify for the new scheme. This means employees will need to have been placed on Furlough by 10 June 2020 to qualify for…

How healthy is your HR?

· by Emma Browning
If you don’t know, then take advantage of our Remote HR Health Check for just £500, in May or June Now is the time to make sure your HR policies and procedures are up to scratch and legally compliant (did you know there is a raft of new employment legislation that came into force on the 6th April?) You also need to know whether the documentation you have in place will support any important business decisions you need to make in the coming months. We will undertake our HR Health…

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) – latest update 30th April 2020

· by Emma Browning
HMRC published details of its Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) on 26 March 2020 and updated this 7 times now, with the last update being on the 30thApril. It’s important to remember that the HMRC guidance is just that – guidance. However, the directions issued by the Treasury appear to have some form of statutory authority although the nature of this is unclear. This means that it is not clear which set of instructions will take priority over matters such as whether the employee has to agree in writing to…

Free Contract or Handbook Review

· by Emma Browning
There is no doubt that like all of us at the moment, we have suddenly had some of our work cancelled, and many of our clients are very worried about how the Coronavirus will impact their businesses in the long term and whether they will be able to survive the next few months with either fewer customers, less employees able to work, or reduced manufacturing or products to sell. It’s important that during uncertain times like these you know that your contracts of employment and employee policies and procedures are…