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HR & Health and Safety News
A full-time employee is entitled to a minimum of 28 days statutory holidays (that includes any bank holidays that may arise within the holiday year). The first 20 days of the holiday entitlement comes from EU provisions and the remaining 8 days arises from UK statutory provisions.
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Statutory sick pay is a universal payment all employers must pay should their employees be signed off from work due to sickness. Some companies offer contractual sick pay – i.e. full pay for a period however more companies rely on government SSP guidelines.
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Employers have a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to provide, as far as is reasonably practicable, a safe place of work and safe systems of work for their staff. If an employer knowingly allows a member of staff under the influence of alcohol or drugs into the workplace...
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Summertime is here (for now), although pleasant to have a break from the rain and cold we know and love in the UK, it’s important to remember the heat can be dangerous; particularly for vulnerable people such as children, the elderly and those with medical conditions affected by it.
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The Equality Act 2010 protects your employees from discrimination in the workplace. The act covers 8 protected characteristics; Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage and Civil Partnership, Race, Religion or Belief, Sex and Sexual Orientation.
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The gig economy gave rise to two important decisions last year over the employment status of self-employed individuals. In June 2018, the Supreme Court held that a plumber engaged by Pimlico Plumbers under a written agreement which stated the company was not obliged to offer work and he was not...
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Greg Clarke ,The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, on 17th December 2018 delivered a statement to Parliament over a set of measures to change and reform employment rights under the “good work plan” (the plan) which sets out the Government’s future vision for the UK...
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Guidance for employers at a work Christmas party. As the festive spirit kicks in at this time of the year, employers may wish to share some rules with their employees to avoid any legal implications from a work Christmas party.
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A recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) looks set to have huge financial ramifications for UK businesses with regards to holiday pay.
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Comprehensive employee workplace investigations are an effective risk management tool and are potentially critical to any defence by an employer in the event of potentially litigious proceedings.
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Employment status has a big effect on companies especially when it comes to statutory rights. Considering the gig economy, which is growing rapidly, two companies have dominated the news in recent weeks for this reason
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The government announced in 2016 that changes would be made to the rules relating to tax and national insurance contributions (NIC) on termination payments that will take effect from 6 April 2018.
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The right to take up to two weeks’ paid leave (bereavement leave) after the death of a child is expected to become law in 2020 – this will be one of the most generous in the world.
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Modern life is a stressful place and it is estimated that one in four of the population will encounter a mental health issue within their lifetime. Therefore, there is greater onus on employers to understand and adapt to this increasing epidemic
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What are health and safety audits and why should I do them? Health and safety audits define compliance with health and safety legislation as well as determining if your work activities relate to your planned arrangements (such as ...
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Monetary and time costs can be high when recruiting The expense of recruiting can make quite a dent in the budget when trying to recruit the right person for a vacancy, as Suffolk county council recently found out to their cost. It is reported* that not only did they spend £32,000 looki...
Read moreSickness absence due to ‘morning sickness” In light of the news that the Duchess of Cambridge had to cancel a recent appointment due to suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), or as more commonly known, extreme morning sickness, I wondered just how this affects the average employer; ...
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Is there a difference in a health and safety fine compared to a fire safety fine? A question that I have been wondering about for some time. You would you’re a health and safety person! Well, yes I suppose I am and proud of it! Back to my quandary. It would appear...
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Why do we have probation periods? Although there is no statutory requirement to include probationary periods in an employment contract, this process is recommended to monitor a new or newly promoted employee’s performance. There is no set period that a probation should be for and therefo...
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Pallet stacking safely is paramount Accidents can happen if stacking safely is not adhered to. Earlier this year a company was fined £2 million when two stacked plastic bales fell and crushed a man to death. What happened? The bales were stacked three high and around eig...
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