Management Discretion: Consistency in Applying HR Policies
Many of our clients have policies in place which set out clearly what their position is and yet they all tend to contain the phrase “Any variation from this policy is entirely at management discretion”. Clients have found themselves being accused of discrimination because they have treated individuals differently, so is it really possible to…
How Do You Calculate Employee Holiday Correctly?
Holiday calculations can often be confusing, for example, if someone joins or leaves a company part-way through a year, or what happens with holiday when on maternity leave. This blog post answers the questions we receive most frequently on how to calculate employee holiday.
Tips on Managing Summertime Employee Absenteeism
At this time of year employee absenteeism can be on the rise. It’s not the coughs and colds that lead to the “I’m too ill to work” telephone calls, it tends to be more related to sunburn and Pimms! Obviously, it can be very difficult to prove that someone isn’t genuinely ill but there are…
Can Gagging Orders be Enforced?
Typically, gagging orders are included in settlement agreements for legitimate reasons but they have been used to cover up matters that organisations would prefer others to not find out about. This post provides insights into what you can do when it comes to gagging orders and what to avoid.
Can and Should You Always Dismiss an Employee for Gross Misconduct?
Many employers have a list of behaviours in their employee disciplinary policy that constitute gross misconduct. If an employee commits one of these ‘crimes’ then the outcome is clear, right? Well, not necessarily. This post sets out the process and considerations that you need to make before dismissing an employee on the grounds of gross…
The Right to Request Flexible Working
Any employee who has more than 26 weeks’ service has a legal right to request flexible working which covers not just the hours that they work, but also where they work from. This post gives insight into the rules and what you, as an employer, should do when you receive a flexible working request.
How Do I Tell My Employees About Redundancy?
This post provides guidance on how to tell employees about redundancy and communication during a redundancy process. Rather than being prescriptive, what we’re aiming to achieve with this post is to help you consider what type of communication approach will work for you and help you to avoid some pitfalls.
Attracting Talent: How To Compete for the Best People
How do you go about attracting talent when simply competing on salary and benefits isn’t something that’s an option for many small and medium businesses?
Tips on How to Deal with Troublesome Employees
There are very few businesses who don’t have that one difficult employee who just seems to be more trouble than they are worth. They don’t do anything that’s so wrong as to warrant disciplinary action but just make everything so much harder than it needs to be. So here are some simple tips on dealing…
Covert Surveillance: Can You Record your Employees?
Recording employees without their knowledge can present human rights issues and we would never suggest that this is something a business does routinely. However, a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) hearing has seen case law tested in this area. The case looked at whether employers could undertake covert surveillance in order to prove fraud.
