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What’s the current position on flexible working rights? On 5 December 2022, the Government announced that the right to request flexible working will be extended to all employees from day one of employment eliminating the requirement to have 26 week’s service. This is part of a package of measures under the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) [...]
Taking equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) seriously in the workplace has huge benefits for both staff and businesses. It allows staff to reach their full potential and in turn to be rewarded for their contribution and achievements. It gives businesses a better opportunity to attract and retain the best talent leading to greater innovation, creativity, [...]
Managing conflicting beliefs in the workplace All employees have protection from discrimination because of their religious or philosophical beliefs as this is one of the nine “protected characteristics” under the Equality Act 2010. Employers may find that they are faced with employees who hold conflicting and protected beliefs. This clash of rights is not a [...]
Managing Employees with Long Covid - Is it the next great unknown? You may have heard my interview last week on BBC Radio Kent about how to handle employees with Long Covid. It’s certainly a hot topic at the moment and is likely to have a significant impact on workforce management. Here are a few [...]
Flexible working requests The post-pandemic workplace is of course very different, and we are all still learning to handle the ‘new normal’. One of the key developments has been the significant increase in flexible, hybrid and homeworking. These changes are very likely to lead to a corresponding increase in indirect sex discrimination claims from women [...]
Employers Beware - Voluntary Redundancy Is Still A Dismissal The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has recently held that a dismissal still arises when an employee volunteers for redundancy and therefore may form part of an unfair dismissal claim. Case Facts The facts of this EAT case of White v HC-One Oval Ltd. [2022] EAT 56 [...]
Staff at P&O Ferries - Know Your Redundancy Rights Today P&O Ferries told 800 of their staff via a video call that they were being made redundant with immediate effect. This was understandably met with outrage as it became clear that the crew were being replaced by agency staff. Almost Certainly Unfair Suggests Redundancy Solicitor [...]
Hybrid Working – Is It Here To Stay And What Are The Consequences For Employers? Before the Covid-19 pandemic there were an estimated 18% of employees in the UK doing some form of homeworking with only 2% working mainly from home. Now at least 37% of employees are regularly working from home with 22% always [...]
What is the right to disconnect and what is the UK doing about it? Despite Covid restrictions lifting allowing workers to return to the workplace, just 1 in 5 businesses aim to bring workers back into the office for five days a week. With the lines between work and home life becoming increasingly blurred due [...]
Mishandling a menopausal worker could have serious implications for your business – Employers need to know the risks and the steps to take to avoid costly claims and disputes arising. With a reported seven out of ten women in work in the UK being of menopausal age (the average age being 51), employers need to [...]
