Employment
When homeworking employees refuse to return to the office
Earlier this year, Cabinet Office minister, Jacob Rees-Mogg, urged civil servants to return to the office to ensure Government buildings are at full capacity. A full-scale return to the workplace has been seen across many other sectors and industries, since the remaining Covid-related restrictions were lifted in February 2022. Despite this, there will undoubtedly be […]
Too hot to work? The rules around temperature in the workplace
Whilst a spell of glorious summer sunshine would usually make for a welcome change from a standard British summertime, once temperatures begin to soar to 30°C or more, the prospect of still going to work may leave many feeling that it’s all a little too hot to handle. The Met Office has already issued warnings […]
Changes to right to work checks – take steps to prepare now
In recent weeks, the Government has announced changes to the ways in which employers can perform ‘right to work’ checks. In response to the news, there have been various press reports warning employers that these changes will be ‘costly’ for employers at a time when many businesses are already struggling to cope with increasing costs. […]
Are employees entitled to be paid for the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday?
To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Friday 3 June 2022 will be an extra Bank Holiday, with the late May Bank Holiday moved to Thursday 2 June. This additional day will create a four-day weekend for most people, but not everyone, as it depends how their contract of employment is worded and the days they […]
Is coupling-up with a colleague legal?
Long before social distancing and home working became the norm thanks to the pandemic, it was generally accepted that the workplace was a hive for blossoming romances, with some statistics indicating that approximately 24 per cent of people have admitted to having a liaison with a colleague at some point in time. With so much of our […]
Managing pregnancy and parenthood in the workplace
Working mothers account for an accelerating share of the workforce in the UK. Just last year research released by the Resolution Foundation and Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics (LSE) revealed that 74 % of mothers with 0-to-3-year-olds were in employment during 2021, showcasing a stable rise of 6% since 2019. With an average […]
Hiring and firing the apprentice is a serious matter
With TV show The Apprentice back on our screens, again dividing the nation as to the merits of each candidate, it is likely to spark debate about the benefits of utilising apprentices to help grow businesses. Apprenticeships benefit the business and the apprentice, but despite the programme’s entertaining approach to hiring and firing, the law […]
Combatting racism in the workplace
Every once in a while, a difficult and complex area of law is crystallised by the circumstances of a high-profile case. The most recent example of this being the matter of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, whose mismanagement of historical allegations of racism made by cricketer Azeem Rafiq, have since been the subject of a thorough […]
Facing up to whistleblowing in the workplace
Whilst business owners may feel wronged if an employee takes it upon themselves to leak their concerns about an employer’s activities, whistleblowing is very often a good indication that something is not quite right in the workplace. But do most businesses actually know what is meant by the term whistleblowing? And what is the correct […]
How can business owners better manage work-related stress?
Managing the mental wellbeing of employees is a matter of growing concern for many business owners, as the stress of the last 18 months has taken its toll on the workforce. The number of working days lost to work-related stress, depression or anxiety has steadily increased since 2017, rising to 5 per cent in the latest Health […]
