What classifies an individual as a worker vs self-employed?
Overview The primary matter considered in this employment tribunal case was whether Bolt drivers were classed as self-employed or workers. The Employment Rights Act 1996, section 230(3) defines a worker as: “an individual who has entered into or works under a contract or any other contract whether express or implied and whether oral or in […]
‘Simpler Recycling’ in the Workplace in England
In England, as part of the ‘Simpler Recycling’ initiative which stems from the Environment Act 2021, all businesses and non-domestic premises — effective from 2025 — are required to separate their waste into four waste streams: food waste paper and card mixed recyclables (plastic, metal, glass) non-recyclables Deadlines for Compliance Micro-firms with fewer than 10 […]
Organisations fined more than £4m for unfair working practices when setting freelancer pay
In 2013, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is a non-ministerial department, was established with the purpose of promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. As an authority, it also plays a significant role in helping to determine if a proposed merger or acquisition could limit consumer choice. Freelancer Pay Investigation by the CMA […]
Employment Status & Rights: HMRC Research for Employers
HM Revenue and Customs commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) to carry out independent research on employment statuses from the perspective of employment rights. They surveyed 8,767 UK adults, aged 18 to 64, in May and June 2023 through online and telephone surveys and fieldwork. What Is Employment Status? In this context, a […]
How is AI impacting the UK labour market?
With AI becoming more prevalent in employment, we are starting to see the evidence of its impact on employment both in terms of people practices, but also on the UK labour market. Entry-Level Job Decline Since the Launch of ChatGPT In a recent study by recruitment firm Adzuna, their research found that the number of […]
Menopause in the workplace – Big changes coming for large employers
Earlier this month, the Government announced that from 2027, menopause action plans will be mandatory for organisations employing 250+ employees. Back in 2021, the Women and Equalities Committee looked at the extent to which discrimination connected to the menopause occurs in the workplace, and how government policy and workplace practices could be improved to support […]
New Guidance for Agency Workers
HMRC Issues New Guidance on Tax Avoidance for Agency Workers and Contractors As part of HMRC’s ongoing efforts to tackle tax avoidance, it has released updated guidance specifically aimed at agency workers and contractors. This new information is designed to help individuals identify whether they may have been involved in a tax avoidance scheme—particularly when […]
Reforming zero-hour contracts – what do employers think of the forthcoming changes?
In our recent webinar, we explored the UK Government’s proposed reforms aimed at banning ‘exploitative zero-hour contracts’. We examined the potential impact these employment law changes could have on an employer’s ability to recruit and retain staff, while also considering how businesses can remain agile and flexible within the new legal framework. Using our regular […]
Outdoor Workers and Sun Exposure
As we head into the summer months, rising temperatures and increased sun exposure can pose health risks to those working outdoors. Typical professions at risk include construction, agriculture, gardening, facilities teams, and outdoor service workers. Short-term exposure to heat and sun can lead to: Sunburn Dehydration Fatigue Heat exhaustion Heat stress The most serious effect […]
Managing stress in the workplace
We ran our annual SME Business Survey back in November and asked what the most important aspects of Health and Safety over the next 12 months were. Mental health came out top, with 85% of SME business leaders stating that mental health will be their biggest health and safety challenge in 2023, an increase of 6% […]
COVID – 19 – managing the workplace safely
The government’s COVID-19 announcement yesterday (21 February 2022) confirmed the end of all COVID-19 restrictions which will gradually take effect between now and 1 April. It will mean that moving forward the responsibility for how to live with the virus will be placed on individuals rather than the government and their interventions that we have […]
SSP and Covid – Reimbursement Scheme Reintroduced
The Chancellor announced last night that he is reintroducing the SSP reimbursement scheme for SMEs who have employees off sick with Covid. The full details of the scheme are yet to be announced, however the government updated has updated its guidance on gov.uk with the message: “This scheme will be reintroduced from mid-January 2022. Further guidance […]
Highest Health and Safety Executive fine for 2021
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued its highest value fine for 2021 to rail operator W.H. Malcom Ltd. following a boy’s death. The company must pay £6.5m after it was found guilty of negligence after an 11-year-old boy was fatally electrocuted in 2017. The boy managed to get into the Daventry International Rail […]
Employers, HR and the new COVID variant and rules – what you need to know
Further to the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, the government has introduced precautionary measures to slow the spread in the UK until more can be understood about the potential impact. Although there is much still to be learned about the variant, it is understood that it spreads ‘very rapidly’ and can be spread […]
November – Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Raising awareness about employee risks of lung cancer November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Its principal aim is to encourage people who display symptoms to see their GP. Symptoms can include persistent cough, chest pain as well as becoming out of breath either when doing normal daily tasks or at resting. A high percentage of […]
How to retain your best employees
When staff members decide to leave, it can be a huge and expensive inconvenience, especially if you are a small business. Employees can leave for all sorts of reasons, from not getting on with their manager or colleagues to struggling with their workload. Whatever the reason for their departure, each time an employer replaces a […]
Protecting young workers from bullying and harassment
This week is Anti-Bullying Week, a campaign coordinated by the ‘Anti-Bullying Alliance’, an organisation that specifically focuses on stopping the bullying of children and young people. Bullying and harassment in the workplace Young people in the workplace can be more vulnerable to workplace bullying and harassment compared to other workplace groups for many reasons: Firstly, […]
Health and Safety in the News
Health and Safety accident results in £20,000 fine A manufacturing company has been fined in excess of £20,000 after a health and safety accident. A worker’s hand was drawn into a roller and crushed after the company had not correctly assessed the risks involved. At the time of the accident, Chris Ellor, a director of […]
The launch of HR Solutions’ ILM Training Centre
We are always looking to expand on our training packages and have therefore increased our management training course offering after becoming an accredited ILM approved training centre. All of the management training courses are accredited externally, and the new status adds ILM – the UK’s leading provider of leadership, management and coaching qualifications to our […]
Survey set to reveal biggest challenges facing businesses
UK businesses are being urged to reveal the challenges they expect to face over the next 12 months in our 2021 SME Survey which launches on Friday 5th November. We are launching the survey for small and medium-sized enterprises with chartered accountants Nordens so that we can support firms as they negotiate the changing economic […]