The time off for dependents legislation entitles all employees to take a reasonable amount of time off work for a variety of sudden or unexpected events that affect someone who is dependent on the individual
Time Off For Dependents
Surrogate Parents Entitled To Adoption Leave and Pay
The issue of maternity rights for surrogate parents has recently caused confusion with two Advocates General to the Court of Justice of the European Union (‘CJEU’) giving conflicting guidance.
Read my overview of the differing opinions of the Court’s advisers.
Settlement Agreements
Settlement Agreement are legally binding agreements in which the employee agrees not to pursue any claim they may have to an employment tribunal and in return the employer usually provides a severance payment. Notice, as outlined in the contract of employment, is usually included in the agreement and generally provides for a “payment in lieu”.
Read my Top Tips to the terms a settlement agreement should contain.
Attendance at Disciplinary Hearings
Can an employee refuse to attend a disciplinary hearing? This guide explains attendance requirements, postponements, sickness absence, companion availability and when employers may be able to proceed in an employee’s absence.
Carry Over Of Holiday And Long Term Sickness
The relationship between workers’ rights, their holiday and how those rights are affected by sickness absence has been a much debated subject in recent years. A particular issue has been to what extent a worker on long-term sick leave, who has been unable to take holiday due to sickness, is entitled to carry forward accrued but untaken holiday to the following leave year.
Probationary Periods – best practice
The primary purpose of using probationary periods is to provide a clear framework for assessing the suitability of new employees in terms of performance, behaviour and attendance against the standards you have set for the role.
This means when you use a probationary period you should clearly set out your standards and expectations from the very start so the new employee fully understands what you expect from them in terms of performance, behaviour and attendance and the consequences of failing to achieve those standards.
How to Deal with an Employees Body Odour
Employee body odour and personal hygiene concerns can be difficult for managers to address. This practical guide explains how SMEs can handle sensitive workplace conversations professionally, maintain employee dignity and determine when support, capability or conduct processes may be appropriate.
Collective redundancies need not be at one establishment
New trigger for collective redundancy consultation
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has held that the trigger for collective consultation is 20 or more redundancies across the employer’s business rather than by reference to each of the employer’s sites (or “establishments”).
Pension Auto-enrolment
The biggest change in Workplace Pensions Schemes history began in October 2012. Employers are now required, by law, to automatically enrol all eligible workers into a workplace pension and make a contribution to it. The deadline (Staging Date) for each company to adopt the new regulations depends upon size, with larger employers going first.
The Importance Of A Final Written Warning
The case of Kefil v JJ Food Service Limited emphasises the importance of a final written warning when behaviour falls below the accepted standard
