As we near the end of the first month of 2023, we summarise they key developments in Employment Law we expect to see during 2023. New Rates for Statutory Employment Payments On 28 November 2022, the Department of Work and Pension (DWP) published its annual rate increases for 2023/24. All of the new rates will
Employment Law Updates
All I want for Christmas is…. A stress-free payroll!
Christmas and New Year can be the most expensive time of the year for most people. If you employ people, the festive period can bring a number of problems that you will need to be aware of before you can wind down for you break. In this blog we will detail some of the most
Employment Tribunal Guidance for Employers
The Employment Tribunals (ET) are an independent judicial body established to resolve disputes over employment rights between employers and employees. Claims likely to be heard in the ET will involve matters on unfair dismissal, discrimination, wages and redundancy payments. In July 2017, the Supreme Court unanimously held that ET fees were unlawful and must be
Parental Bereavement Bill receives Royal Assent
The new Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018 sets out that parents who suffer the death of a child under the age of 18 or a still birth from 24 weeks of pregnancy will be entitled to two weeks paid leave. It is expected that these new rights will be incorporated into the Employment
Discrimination because of religion or belief
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
5 Reasons for a fair dismissal
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
Know when to outsource a HR function
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
Time off for dependants: advice for employers
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 Law Quiz
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
Does ‘misconduct’ need to be ‘gross’ to make a dismissal (without prior warnings) fair?
Does dismissal need to be ‘gross’ to make a dismissal fair? No, held the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in Quintiles Commercial v Barongo. In this case, the Claimant worked in pharmaceutical sales and found themselves dismissed on the grounds of misconduct after failing to complete compliance training and not attending a compulsory training course. On appeal,