From 30th June 2014, all employees will have the right to apply to work flexibly. To be eligible, employees will need at least 26 weeks’ continuous employment with their employer to make a request Up until now, it has only been available to those who have children under 17 (or 18 if they have a disability) […]
Today’s announcement by Vince Cable that he is planning to introduce legislation banning exclusivity clauses in zero hour contracts is likely to be welcome by employees, who will now have the freedom to find work with more than one employer. Exclusivity clauses prevent an employee from working for another employer, even when no work is guaranteed. This clearly […]
If your performance at work is not up to scratch, before you know it, you may find yourself on a Performance Improvement Plan (or ‘PIP’ as it is commonly known). This is a first step frequently used by an employer before they can properly dismiss you for capability reasons; in other words, as evidence of […]
If the person sitting next to you at work started using an e-cigarette at their desk, would you challenge them? The use of e-cigarettes has again become a hot topic after it was reported that ministers in France were planning to ban their use in public places. Some UK employers have already taken a stand. […]
By employment law solicitor, Philip Landau Under the Working Time Regulations (WTR), the majority of employees in the UK are entitled to 5.6 weeks paid annual leave. The recent European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling in the case of Lock v British Gas Trading Limited has clarified, however, that “holiday pay” should extend beyond basic […]
For claims brought after 6th April 2014, Employment Tribunals have new powers to impose a financial penalty on employers who unsuccessfully defend a claim. The fine is 50% of the financial award from the tribunal, subject to a minimum sum of £100 and a maximum cap of £5,000. The penalty will be reduced by 50% if […]
What is ACAS? The Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) is an independent, impartial organisation mandated to liaise with both parties to an employment tribunal claim with regard to possible settlement. Acas is notified when a person makes a claim and will contact the parties to find out if they wish to take part in […]
A recent study by Nielsen (a market research company) has shown that almost half of Britons are unhappy with their expected retirement age. This comes as no surprise with one in five workers believing they will be working up until their 70th birthday and 19 percent working in to their 80s. The research surveyed over […]
National Stress Awareness Day A recent survey has found the fear of redundancy is a major stress factor, especially with the younger generation. And in other surveys, it has been found the vast majority of employees give a false reason for a stress-related absence, such as having a stomach upset or headache. Very few appear […]
Employers may well be reviewing their disciplinary procedures today, after the reports that Sharon Shoesmith, previous head of Children’s Services at Haringey Council, has agreed a “six figure settlement” following her dismissal from the Council almost five years ago. Shoesmith was, of course, very publicly sacked in early December 2008, just days after then education […]
