When a couple are adopting, in respect of leave and pay entitlements, only one person must be assigned as the ‘primary’ adopter. Adoption Leave and pay is available only to employees who adopt through an adoption agency. Please note that employees who adopt a child on a private basis are not eligible for adoption leave…
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A revised Code of Practice on ‘Fire and rehire’ has been published. If the Code is approved by Parliament, then it will come into effect later this year. What are the updates to the Code? There have been no changes to the key provisions in the original Code, which was published in January 2023, however,…
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Maternity leave can be complex for small employers this article looks to summarise the key points. Changing the return date If an employee wants to change their return date from maternity leave, they must give the employer at least eight weeks’ notice before the new end date. If the employer is not given enough notice,…
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Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, an employer has a duty to carry out a risk assessment of the work that employees are required to do. Regulation 16 specifically requires employers who employ women of child-bearing age to carry out an assessment if the work could involve a risk to…
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You have been told you need to reduce your organisation’s head count. The pool of employees who are at risk have been identified…what now? The Redundancy Selection Process As an employer it is important to have a fair selection process in place as it is key to fair dismissal. In terms of a process for…
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Most people are now retiring later in life, particularly given the current cost of living crisis. However, many employers will welcome the prospect of retaining these experienced employees. Although, the uncertainty around how long an employee is likely to stay can bring challenges to a business. Thinking ahead As an employer it is important to…
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Draft legislation has been published by the government with regards to amending the Equality Act 2010 from 1st January 2024. The Equality Act amendments include the following: – If you would like to discuss the implications of these changes, contact us on 01483 362732….
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A company must complete right to work checks on all employees and keep records. It was announced in August 2023 that if an organisation fails to complete the correct right to work checks, then they could be faced with a fine of up to £60,000 per employee. From early 2024, the penalty for a first…
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This new legislation regarding Rehabilitation of Offenders (Section 193 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022) has come into effect from 28th October 2023. It will mean that criminal convictions become spent after a shorter period, therefore reducing the length of time that individuals are legally required to declare them to their employer….
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If there is no dignity in the workplace, it can create low morale amongst employees as well as reduced productivity. Employees may resign as a result which will mean a substantial loss of skills to the business as well as additional costs such as recruitment and training. Currently, the subject of a toxic culture in…
Read moreThe Worker Protection (Amendment to Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 receives Royal Assent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Employees are protected under The Equality Act 2010 against sexual harassment in the workplace and on the 26th of October 2023, The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 received Royal Assent. This new legislation…
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One of the positive things about the advancement of technology is that it’s enabled us to do business from literally anywhere we want. This has become more apparent over the last few years, when working remotely in locations that were not a main office has become the norm. It’s not hard to see why either….
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