Your New and Improved HR Knowledge Base
HR Solutions Webinar: Your New and Improved HR Knowledge Base In this webinar, for existing subscribers, HR Solutions introduce the re-launched and improved HR Knowledge Base by taking you through the changes and showing you what has improved; as well as how it looks, how to navigate around, how to sign in and how to gain […]
HR Knowledge Base – Navigation
HR Solutions Video: HR Knowledge Base – Navigation In this short video, we will show you how you can navigate around our new and improved HR Knowledge Base. To ensure that you get the very best out of the HR Knowledge Base, our enhancements include an improved navigation system and an intelligent search facility, so you’ll be […]
Brexit and the HR Year Ahead
HR Solutions Webinar: Brexit and the HR Year Ahead No one can fully understand what will happen with Brexit, either way, and we don’t pretend to. Yes, some parts of our employment law, such as holiday entitlement, comes from the EU and so this may be subject to change long term. However, in the short term, what […]
Government announce new statutory code to tackle sexual harassment in the workplace
On the 18th December 2018, the government confirmed that they planned to undertake some of the prominent recommendations that were published in the Sexual Harassment in the Workplace report which was published on the 25th July by the Equalities Commission. Preventing sexual harassment in the workplace It has been confirmed that a new statutory code […]
Tribunal cases and wait times increasing
Minutes taken at the Employment Tribunals (England and Wales) National User Group meeting which took place in September, have recently been published. These indicate a 165% increase in single claims compared to last year. This is in line with the Ministry of Justice’s figures which reported a 130% increase in outstanding singles cases for the […]
Interesting HR Statistics 2018
In this HR article we share a summary of some interesting statistics that were released in 2018. Most dads take 6 months shared parental leave at Aviva This news follows the government’s announcement to launch a campaign about shared parental leave after poor levels of take up across the country (2%). The insurance company introduced […]
Minimising Risk – Gross Misconduct
HR Solutions Webinar: Minimising Risk – Gross Misconduct ‘Gross misconduct’ is a common phrase and the question ‘Is it gross misconduct?’ is also very common on our HR Advice Line. But did you realise that gross misconduct dismissals notoriously fail to stand up in an employment tribunal? Did you know that you may not ‘sack on […]
Being called ‘fat’ was not discrimination arising from a disability
Employment Appeal Tribunal Case: Evans v Xactly Corporation Ltd UKEATPA Category: Disability discrimination, harassment and victimisation In this employment appeal tribunal case the employee was disabled and was dismissed for poor performance. He claimed that both the process that led to dismissal and the dismissal itself, amounted to direct discrimination in relation to the protected […]
Settlement scheme for EU citizens – phased opening update
The Home Office have been working on a scheme which allows EU citizens who are living in the UK by 31 December 2020 to obtain their new UK immigration status. This status will be needed in order to remain here permanently. The scheme will be fully open by 30 March 2019 and EU citizens and […]
Minimising Risk – Disciplinary Hearings
HR Solutions Webinar: Minimising Risk – Disciplinary Hearings Disciplinary hearings can be a minefield due to various laws, case law and codes of practices to worry about; but there are many basic rules that determine how a hearing should be set up and run. In this HR webinar recording we will start from scratch and brush up […]
HR Solutions reinforces customer service focus
HR Solutions, has appointed a new Customer Services Executive. The appointment of Yana Arif (pictured first on the left) follows HR Solutions’ recent run of award nominations for customer service excellence. The company was a finalist at the Northamptonshire SME Awards last month in the category of Service Excellence after demonstrating ‘outstanding assistance and advice […]
Minimising Risk – Disciplinary Hearings
If during a disciplinary investigation meeting, the employee was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for their behaviour and there is a case to answer to, then a disciplinary hearing is probably on the horizon. Some common disciplinary concerns may cover matters such as conduct in the workplace, timekeeping, absence, health and safety, and use […]
£2m ruling for whistleblow dismissal and directors held personally liable
In 2017 International Petroleum Ltd (IPL) appealed the tribunal decision which found that their Chief Executive had been unfairly dismissed for making protected disclosures about the business’ operations and contracts which were awarded in West Africa. The Chief Executive had several disagreements with the company Chairman and one of the largest shareholders about his concerns. […]
Brexit Update for Employers of EU Citizens in the UK
The Home Office have been working on a scheme which allows EU citizens who are living in the UK by 31 December 2020 to obtain their new UK immigration status. This status will be needed in order to remain here permanently. The scheme will be fully open by 30 March 2019 and EU citizens and […]
Minimising Risk – Disciplinary Investigations
HR Solutions Webinar: Minimising Risk – Disciplinary Investigations To ensure the process is deemed legally ‘fair’, a disciplinary procedure must begin with an appropriate investigation. Investigations at work are often considered to be the ‘easy bit’ as there is no formal outcome, only a report which recommends whether the matter should go to a disciplinary hearing. […]
Childcare Vouchers Scheme Closure – Employment News Update
From the 4th October 2018, Childcare Vouchers schemes are closed to new entrants. The impact on employees who are already scheme members is that existing members can continue with this salary sacrifice benefit, but cannot leave the scheme and re-enrol, and cannot enrol on a new scheme with a different company. Any employees who ask […]
Employment Newsflash – Substantial Rise in Tribunal Claims
It has now been a full year since tribunal fees were abolished by the Supreme Court after it was found that they were a barrier to justice and were in fact, indirectly discriminatory towards women. Refund application scheme When the tribunal claim fees were abolished, a refund application scheme was launched. So far 14,500 applications […]
Sleep-ins and the national minimum wage: significant ruling by the Court of Appeal
On 16th July 2018, in Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake, the England and Wales Court of Appeal made the distinction between being ‘available to work’, (as per section 15 (1)/32 of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) Regulations), and ‘actually working’ (as per section 15 (1A)/32). It ruled that NMW was only payable in respect of the latter. Sleep-in shifts […]
How to minimise risk: disciplinary investigations
To ensure the process is deemed legally ‘fair’, a disciplinary procedure must begin with an appropriate investigation. Disciplinary investigation reports Investigations at work are often considered to be the ‘easy bit’ as there is no formal outcome, only a report which recommends whether the matter should go to a disciplinary hearing. However, did you know […]
Minimising risk of discrimination in recruitment
People involved in the recruitment process should possess a working knowledge of the legal basics. There are also several common areas where employers can often inadvertently, fall foul during recruitment which are discussed below. The legal basics of unlawful discrimination The Equality Act 2010 is the legislation that sets out which characteristics a person may […]