Exclusivity clauses in employment contracts
As the cost of living bites, employees may be looking to take on secondary employment. Employers, on the other hand, may be concerned that secondary employment may affect workers’ performance and availability. Ensuring that staff are available for work, and unable to work for someone else, can often be key to running an effective business. […]
How to deal with data subject access requests
Employees have the right to request and acquire a copy of their personal data kept by their employer or former employer. This is known as making a data subject access request (DSAR) under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). When dealing with subject access requests, employers have to ensure they comply with their compliance obligations […]
When is a director an employee?
Whether a director is an employee is an important consideration for tax and employment right purposes, as well as other statutory requirements. Below we examine the question of employment status for directors in more detail, focusing on the rules used to determine if a director undertaking regular remunerated work for a company is an ‘employee’ […]
When does overtime become contractual?
Overtime rules are not always straightforward, but it’s important for employers and managers to have a clear understanding to avoid workforce issues. The question ‘When does overtime become contractual?’ is one that commonly arises within a number of different employment contexts, from whether an employer has the right to insist on an employee working additional […]
Sex discrimination: advice for employers
Sex discrimination, when someone is unfairly disadvantaged in the workplace because of their sex, is unlawful. The number of employment tribunal claims relating to unfair treatment on the basis of sex confirm that sex discrimination continues to be a problem in the workplace. But preventing sex discrimination should be seen as more than a legal […]
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 […]
Workplace perceptive discrimination risks
In the UK, it is unlawful to treat someone less favourably than someone else at work because of certain protected characteristics, such as their age, sex, disability, race or religion. This includes treating someone unfairly because of a perception that they possess a particular characteristic. The following guide for employers outlines the law relating to […]
What is positive discrimination?
Understanding what is meant by positive discrimination, and how this applies within the workplace, plays an important part in creating a fair and inclusive working environment without unlawfully discriminating against anyone. The following guide examines the concept of positive discrimination in the context of equality and diversity at work, including the difference between positive discrimination […]