Employment Law Updates

1. When is it permissible for an employer to terminate the contract of employment of an employee on the grounds of ill health? Dismissing an employee on the grounds of ill health is anything but straight forward. Lack of capability, including when assessed with reference to health can be viewed as a potentially fair reason […]

All employers should already be aware that treating an employee differently because they are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, black, white etc can result in legal action. But, can you be accused of discriminating against another person’s philosophical belief’s? “Religious or philosophical belief” is one of the 9 protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. And unlike […]

What is an onboarding process? Onboarding is the procedure an employer should use to help a new employee acquire the knowledge and skills needed to become a successful member of the team. Onboarding should cover the following steps: • Preparations prior to the start date; • An introduction to tools used; • Orientation of the […]

Dismissal occurs when an employer decides to terminate the employment relationship. And, since the Supreme Court ruled that tribunal fees were a barrier to justice, claims against employers have increased by 90%. It is important to note that the average pay out for an unfair dismissal in the tribunal is £30,000. Terminating an employee’s employment […]

As a small business owner, how many times have you gone into the office early to find mountains of paperwork that you just never seem to get through? Most employers will understand the frustration of spending more time than necessary on non-revenue generating activities. Therefore, outsourcing a HR function can make the business more profitable […]

Employers have a number of implied duties in the employment contract including a duty to provide a safe and suitable working environment, a duty not to destroy mutual trust and confidence, and a duty to provide redress of grievances. In many cases the acts of an individual employee during the course of their employment can be […]

From the first day of employment all employees have the right to time off to care for a dependant. Under s57a and s57b of the Employment Rights Act, all employees are entitled to a “reasonable” amount of unpaid leave. However, what is deemed as reasonable can be fact specific. Who is a dependant? A dependant […]

Employment legislation covers all areas of day-day business activities. This includes what employers can and cannot do in regard to employment contracts, recruitment, wages, dismissals, employee rights and working hours. All employers – no matter what size – must ensure they comply with UK employment legislation, failure to do so can expose your business to […]