Employees refusing to return to work due to COVID
With the recent lifting of lockdown and public health restrictions, employers can start to plan a return to workplaces for furloughed employees or those who have been working from home. Still, some employees may have ongoing concerns about the spread of coronavirus within the workplace, refusing to return where they feel unsafe, especially if they […]
Should you put employees on garden leave?
Garden leave is used by employers as a protective measure to ensure that key employees exiting a business have a minimal impact on its reputation and ongoing success. That said, the use of garden leave does not come without cost and certain risks for the employer. In the following article, we examine the pros and […]
Tackling sexual harassment in the workplace
Sexual harassment at work has been prohibited by UK law for decades, yet this kind of conduct and its damaging effects still continue. The startling revelations that have emerged in recent years, including the #MeToo movement, have made it abundantly clear that the problem persists, despite the existence of these legal protections. Everyone should be […]
Employment law rules for night shifts
Night shifts are a common feature in today’s economy. Understanding your workers’ rights and your responsibilities as an employer can help ensure your workforce stays safe and that you don’t fall foul of the employment laws on night working and working unsociable hours. The following guide for employers sets out the employment law on night […]
Legal working temperatures
Ensuring the health and safety of your staff forms an important part of your duties as an employer, including the provision of a workplace that is neither too hot nor too cold. In this guide, we examine the rules on minimum and maximum workplace temperatures, providing employers with practical advice on the provision of a […]
Different types of pay structures
There are various different types of pay structures that can be implemented within an organisation, although the most suitable structure will depend on a number of factors including the nature and size of your business, the composition of the workforce, and the ways in which you want to incentivise and reward that workforce to meet […]
Compassionate leave for miscarriage
For employees who have suffered a miscarriage, time off work and the support they receive from their employer can be an important part of their recovery. But under current rules, employees who miscarry before the end of 24 weeks of pregnancy have no statutory to take maternity leave or claim maternity pay. Following stillbirth or […]
Using an employee non disclosure agreement
Under an employee non disclosure agreement, both parties are bound by confidentiality provisions, such as preventing the employee from disclosing certain specified information relating to the conduct of the employer or the termination of the employment contract. Non disclosure agreements (NDAs) and confidentiality provisions in the employment context have generated plenty of publicity over the […]
Different employment contract types
An employment contract is an agreement outlining the conditions of an individual’s working relationship and arrangements, including rights, responsibilities, working hours, salary, any benefits, and holiday entitlement. It should preferably be in a written format and signed by both the employer and employee to act as a binding agreement and setting out the legal obligations […]
Can employees go on holiday while off sick?
Ordinarily, you would not expect an employee to be going on holiday while on sick leave. In many cases this would serve to undermine the extent of any reported illness or injury, providing grounds for disciplinary action or even dismissal where this is indicative of malingering. Still, there may be cases in which going on […]