Important HR Considerations When Planning Work Events
Work-related social events are a great way to reward your employees and boost morale. However, these occasions come with important responsibilities for employers, even when events are held off-site and outside of working hours. Here are the key considerations to keep your event enjoyable, safe, and compliant: 1. Conduct a Risk Assessment Even at off-site […]
How to develop a strategic HR plan
A strategic HR plan is a roadmap that aligns human resources with overall business objectives. It is a key component of the overall business strategy and ensures that HR is focused on achieving the organisation’s goals by attracting, developing, and retaining the right talent and it therefore helps to: identify current and future talent needs develop […]
5 Key HR Actions to Protect Your Business in 2025
As we wrap up 2024, now is a good time to reflect and take stock of the employment landscape that lies ahead to ensure you are prepared to protect your business in 2025. With the Employment Rights Bill, and the soon to be published Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, we are expecting 28 different reforms […]
Will Employment Tribunal and EAT fees be introduced as expected?
Back in February this year, the previous Conservative Government launched a public consultation on its proposal to re-introduce Employment Tribunal (ET) and Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) fees. This announcement was significant, because fees had previously been in place until a Supreme Court ruling in 2017 deemed them to be unlawful because they prevented access to […]
Overview of the Get Britain Working White Paper
Following the publication of the new Employment Rights Bill in early October, the Government published its ‘Get Britain Working White Paper’; the aim of which is to make significant reforms to both employment support and the health and disability benefits system. The reforms are focussed on getting people back into work and to reach an […]
Is your business compliant with the new duty to prevent sexual harassment?
The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 came into force at the end of last month and it means that there is a new legal duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment from occurring during the course of employment. In practice, this means, that where there is a […]
New Bill expected: Equality (Race and Disability) Bill
Anytime now, we can expect to see the publication of a new employment Bill, called the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill. Which, if it becomes law, will: place a legal duty on employers with more than 250 employees to carry out ethnicity (and disability) pay gap reporting extend equal pay rights to protect workers who […]
Important Information for Employers with a New Holiday Year Starting Soon
You will remember that back in April, we had significant employment law developments, particularly regarding how to calculate holiday entitlement and pay for irregular hours workers or part-year employees. When the changes came into force, the Government introduced them to allow employers to transition smoothly to the new rules. For those whose holiday year ran […]
UK Health and Safety Statistics: Key Figures from the HSE Annual Report
Each year in November, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) releases its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries, and this month, they have published the latest trends and figures. For the year 2023/24, key facts and figures published include: 1.7 million workers reported work related in health, a decrease on the previous […]
Over a third of women do not believe they receive equal pay to men
A recent survey commissioned by Acas, highlighted persistent gender pay disparities in the workplace. Despite legal requirements for equal pay, the findings reveal concerning perceptions of inequality. Below are the key figures from the survey and related information: 36% of women believe they are not receiving equal pay compared to men in their organisation, indicating […]
Low maternity pay found to not support families and to force new parents back to work early
Recent research from the charity Pregnant Then Screwed in collaboration with Women in Data, which gathered responses from 35,800 respondents, highlights the pressing issue of low statutory maternity pay (SMP) in the UK and examines its impact on new mothers and families. The key findings on the effects of SMP include: 43% of mothers return […]
Proposed changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and payroll processing
Upcoming changes outlined in the Employment Rights Bill would significantly affect payroll processing, particularly regarding Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). One of the most notable changes is the removal of waiting days. From now on, any absence due to incapacity will be treated as a period for SSP eligibility from day one. This simplifies payroll processing, […]
Employee Unfairly Dismissed Over Email Blunder
In the case of M Jones v Vale Curtains and Blinds, Jones, a part-time administrator at Vale Curtains and Blinds, was found to have been unfairly dismissed after mistakenly emailing a customer and referring to him as a “tw*t.” The tribunal determined that the dismissal was not warranted based on the circumstances surrounding the incident. […]
Police officer awarded £1.1 million in constructive dismissal case
In the case of Katrina Hibbert vs The Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, Hibbert was awarded over £1 million after her employer discriminated against her by withdrawing permission for a side business that supported her mental health while she was on sick leave. The circumstances Katrina Hibbert began her career with Thames Valley Police […]
Preventing Sexual Harassment – Risk Audit
preventing sexual harassment Protect your workplace and create a safe, inclusive environment with our Sexual Harassment Risk Audit. This assessment helps identify gaps in your organisation’s policies and practices, ensuring compliance with legislation and empowering employees to speak up confidently. With expert recommendations, we aim to support you in building a workplace culture that prioritises […]
Virtual Employment Law Seminar
Join HR Solutions virtually, for our annual employment law seminar to find out about recent and forthcoming changes to UK Employment Law in 2025.
Understanding pay implications of the Employment Rights Bill
In this webinar, we explored how the Bill’s provisions will impact wages and the budgeting implications for SMEs.
HR essentials for small employers
In this webinar we looked at how investing in HR can significantly reduce the risk of legal issues and tribunal claims for small businesses
Building Strong Employment Relationships
Creating strong employment relationship is crucial for any business. The foundation of this relationship lies in mutual trust and a clear understanding of responsibilities between employers and employees. Missteps can lead to costly disputes, but by understanding the fundamentals of employment contracts and obligations, businesses can protect themselves from tribunal claims. Employment relationships are built […]
Types of Employment Tribunal Claims and How to Avoid Them
Employment tribunal claims can disrupt business operations and harm reputation. Understanding common types of employment tribunal claims claims, such as unfair dismissal and discrimination, can help employers implement proactive measures that prevent these disputes from escalating to tribunals. There are various types of employment tribunal claims, including: Unfair Dismissal: Dismissing an employee without a fair […]