MENOPAUSE AND THE WORKPLACE – MENOPAUSE AWARENESS MONTH

October is menopause awareness month and offers the chance for the topic to be shared and discussed openly. This year’s theme for World Menopause Day on 18th October, is cardiovascular disease. The link between reproductive factors and cardiovascular disease is another important aspect of menopause that people need to be aware of. The menopause can be seen as […]
Immigration developments and how they impact employment

Developments in immigration are expected later this year for UK nationals travelling to the Schengen area. In this webinar, we will explain the developments that include a new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and an EU Entry/Exit System (EES). We will explore how these new systems will impact on employment. Specifically, we’ll consider […]
Disability discrimination claim win for employee with menopause symptoms

As October marks Menopause Awareness Month, with Menopause Awareness Day taking place on 18 October 2023, its important to highlight the recent case of Ms Lynskey vs Direct Line. Ms Lynskey won the claim for disability discrimination when her employer failed to adjust its performance management system. Background to the case Ms Lynskey joined Direct […]
Changes to pension automatic enrolment

Parliament has passed legislation that will reduce the qualifying age for employees to be automatically enrolled in a pension scheme. As it stands, employees must be between the ages of 22 years and state pension age, but with the introduction of the new Pensions (Extension of Automatic Enrolment) Act 2023, the age at which eligible […]
Significant Holiday Pay Case Ruling

Yesterday (4 October 2023), The Supreme Court (SC) delivered its judgement in the case of Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and another v Agnew and others. This is a case that challenges the current legal position that an employee must bring a claim for unpaid holiday pay within three months of […]
Whistleblowing in the workplace

The recent allegations against Russell Brand in the mainstream media have highlighted the importance of workplace safety, an employer’s duty of care and the need for strong whistleblowing policies for businesses. Whistleblowing is the colloquial term commonly used to describe the disclosure by a worker of some wrongdoing (such as fraud, misleading the public or […]
Ethical veganism is a protected belief

In a pivotal legal development, the Employment Tribunal (ET) has officially recognised ethical veganism as a protected belief under section 10 of the Equality Act 2010. In the case of Casamitjana v The League Against Cruel Sports, the Employment Tribunal (ET) acknowledged the status of ethical veganism as a protected belief under section 10 of the […]
Dealing with unexpected absences

Unexpected absences can often present challenges for employers. Not only has there been significant disruption with major technical issues with the UK’s air traffic control systems, but Gatwick airport has been hit by further disruption in recent days due to staff shortages. This hasn’t only impacted holidaymakers returning to the UK, but those who need […]
Becoming an age friendly employer

Age discrimination legislation has been in place for many years but is perhaps an area of people management that is not often talked about. In this webinar, we shine the spotlight on young and older workers, looking specifically at how employers can become age friendly by supporting young adults into their first employment and helping […]
Becoming an Age Friendly Employer

In our latest hot topic, we take a look at how organisations can become age-friendly employers, by supporting young adults into their first employment, helping older workers to stay in work for longer, or supporting employees’ transition to retirement. We will consider how your business can bring in a more diverse age group and the […]
Key Payroll Updates for August 2023

Find out the latest updates which may impact your organisation’s payroll team, including mileage rates, tax incentives, neonatal leave and pay, paternity leave and pay, and student loan interest rates. Mileage rates Trade Unions and the RAC Foundation are calling for the Government to increase mileage rates in light of the cost-of-living crisis and the […]
Uber’s AI may racially discriminate drivers

Uber’s integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) facial recognition for driver verification has sparked controversy, alleging racial discrimination against drivers. This case has not yet been heard in tribunal; however, it is a noteworthy topic as technology continues to rapidly integrate into working practices. Two unions are supporting two separate cases against Uber on this matter. […]
Employment Bills – A-Z for employers

There are several Bills which are likely to impact employers over the coming months. Here we provide an A-Z guide on each of the Bills to help you to easily navigate the changes which may impact your organisation. If you require support with updating your company handbook and policies, our expert team can provide ongoing […]
Employment Law Update: Strikes (Minimum service levels) Act 2023

At the end of last month, parliament passed the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, and it has become the Strikes (Minimum service levels) Act 2023. This new piece of legislation mandates employees working in certain sectors to provide a minimum level of service when there is strike action. The sectors that the legislation will apply […]
Building skills and capabilities of your workforce

Following the pandemic, and changes to UK immigration rules, many businesses are now dealing with a labour and skill shortage. Our most recent SME survey found that the second most important aspect of people management for 2023 was employee capability, scoring 44% of the vote. In this webinar, we consider how to boost employee capability […]
A Guide to Using Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology that is rapidly reshaping various industries. AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are capable of learning, reasoning, and problem-solving. As AI becomes increasingly mainstream, this powerful tool presents significant opportunities for employers to improve people management practices and enhance their business […]
Building the skills and capabilities of your workforce

The COVID-19 pandemic, and changes to UK immigration rules, have both significantly contributed to the challenges that many employers are facing with regards to recruiting and skill shortages. At the time of the pandemic, many businesses needed to re-prioritise tasks and focus on how the business could survive the period of uncertainty. Naturally, it meant […]
Lone workers: what are the employers’ responsibilities?

In recent times, the landscape of work has undergone a significant transformation, with remote working becoming the norm for many employees in the UK. As the number of people working from home continues to rise, so does the importance of addressing the unique challenges to employers regarding ‘lone workers.’ The Rise of Remote Working in […]
How difficult is it to recruit right now?

SMEs continue to find it challenging to recruit. The data shows us in our most recent SME Business Survey 2022/23, which was published earlier this year, that recruitment was in the top 3 of major challenges facing businesses. 50% of respondents also acknowledged that recruitment was one area of the business that they would consider outsourcing. To understand […]
Key Announcement – The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023

On 19 July 2023, the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill was given Royal Assent, and passed as law. It will be known as the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023. The announcement setting out the legislation has some significant deletions from what was originally contained in the Bill. This includes the removal of the entitlement […]