Government makes changes to its proposed ban™ on Fire and Rehire under the Employment Rights Bill The Employment Rights Bill makes major strides towards ending ‘fire and rehire’. That’s the strategy where an employer, unable to secure agreement to new contract terms, dismisses staff and then offers to rehire them on the revised terms (or […]
Redundancy: Don’t cut corners on alternative employment A genuine redundancy and fair selection process aren’t enough on their own to carry out a fair redundancy dismissal. Employers also have a legal duty to explore alternative roles for affected employees – and taking a half-hearted approach, risks making the whole process unfair. That’s the clear message […]
Independent investigators not liable for whistleblowing dismissal When handling high-stakes disciplinary or grievance matters – particularly involving senior staff – many businesses sensibly turn to external HR consultants or investigators to ensure objectivity, professionalism, and compliance. A recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decision will come as welcome news for those operating in this space: unless […]
What happens to employees when a business becomes insolvent? Business insolvencies in early 2025 have risen 11% from last year, with many companies facing financial distress. For HR professionals, understanding the employment implications of insolvency is crucial. Here’s what happens when a business goes into administration, is sold out of administration, or enters liquidation. Administration: […]
New statutory rates for 2025 April marks the month each year where changes to statutory rates come into force. Most rate changes take effect from 6th April (to align with the start of the new tax year). National minimum wage changes take effect from 1st April. The statutory rates for family leave, sick pay, redundancy and the […]
Why, for many employees and managers ‘sorry seems to be the hardest word’ Apologising at work can be a daunting task. Often, employees and managers hesitate to say ‘sorry’ outright, opting for vague, noncommittal phrases like, ‘I apologise for any hurt caused.’ Such equivocal apologies avoid admitting wrongdoing, instead shifting the focus to others’ feelings without acknowledging […]
Employment Rights Bill: What’s Changing? An Amendment Paper on the Employment Rights Bill was published at the end of November. Key proposed changes include the following proposals from the Government: Additional changes have been proposed by MPs: It remains to be seen how many of these changes will ‘stick’ as the Bill continues its progress through the […]
Anti-Islamic aspects of Claimant’s belief in English nationalism not a protected belief under Equality Act 2010 Anti-Islamic Views in English Nationalism Denied Protection under Equality Act 2010 Under Equality Act 2010 employees have protection against discrimination on grounds of ‘religion or belief’. Whether or not a person’s views should be regarded as a ‘protected belief’ is often a […]
Supreme Court re-instates injunction preventing Tesco from using fire and re-hire to remove ‘permanent’ right to retained pay In 2007, Tesco re-organised its warehouses resulting in mass relocations. As an alternative to potential redundancy, Tesco negotiated with USDAW (the recognised trade union) that it would give any staff who stayed on, and agreed to be […]
Monthly Bulletin – October 2024 – Practical Perspectives 5 things you should know about part-time workers According to the UK Parliament’s UK labour market statistics, over 8 million people are currently employed on a part-time basis. Part-time workers in the UK have protection from discrimination in the form of the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less […]
