Employment Law
As a business owner, keeping up with changes in employment law can feel like a never-ending task. With the upcoming increases in the National Minimum Wage and changes to National Insurance, small businesses need to be prepared. To help break this down, I sat down with Shirley, our expert payroll administrator to discuss what these changes mean and what businesses should do now to stay ahead. This is what Shirley had to say: The government recently announced changes to the…
Apprenticeships can offer small businesses an exciting opportunity to invest in new talent, address skill shortages, and increase productivity. However, understanding the mechanics of apprenticeships—from the apprenticeship levy to legal requirements—can feel daunting. This guide aims to demystify the process and equip small business owners with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about integrating apprenticeships into their workforce strategy. What Are Apprenticeships? Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes that combine on-the-job learning with classroom instruction, enabling individuals to gain practical…
When businesses face the challenge of collective redundancy, the path forward can often seem daunting. Balancing legal compliance with effective communication and empathy for affected employees is no easy task—especially for organisations that may lack the necessary resources or experience in such matters. Fortunately, our HR consultancy specialises in guiding organisations through these complex processes, stepping in as a supportive and reliable partner to ensure a fair, efficient, and legally compliant consultation. Understanding Collective Redundancy Collective redundancy occurs when an…
HR:4UK’s 40 years of quality advice has helped businesses thrive. Throughout our time, we’ve supported and guided SME’s through a wide range of HR challenges, both routine and complex. Recently, we’ve noticed a growing number of inquiries to our payroll team from employers about issues related to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), particularly when it comes to paying their employees the correct amount. In this edition of ‘Ask the Expert,’ we’re addressing some of the most common questions surrounding SSP to…
Does this sound familiar? You are a small business owner, facing a challenging situation with one of your long-term employees who over the past six months, you have noticed that their performance has noticeably declined resulting in complaints from clients and fellow employees alike. Despite taking the informal conversation approach and attempts at performance improvement plans, there has been no significant progress. Complicating matters, the employee has recently lodged a formal grievance against you alleging that your management style has…
Are you a business owner experiencing a surge in workload as the summer season approaches? Do you find yourself considering the idea of bringing in fresh talent to inject new energy into your team? Perhaps you are excited about the possibility of mentoring a young professional while gaining some much-needed support for your growing projects. You might be aware that hiring an intern involves more than just filling a position and you want to understand the legal landscape, ensuring compliance,…
Quality advice has helped HR:4UK thrive for 40 years now. Throughout our time, we’ve helped and advised you on a whole variety of HR issues, big and small. Recently, we’ve received quite a few questions regarding the impact on holiday entitlement when an employee is required or requests to work less days each week. Typical Question: When an employee requests to reduce the number of working days from 5 to 4, is their holiday entitlement affected? We have spoken to…
The subject of tips and gratuities is on the mind of a lot of employers as the Government unveils plans to overhaul tipping practices, helping around 2 million people top up their income. Employers will have new rules to follow regarding sharing tips, gratuities and service charges among employees. This will make tipping clear to both the employee and the customer. What is Changing and When? The proposed Bill introduces a plethora of new workers’ rights, one of which will…
We asked our advisor Julie Spence and here’s what she had to say: “Although the answer may seem simple Employers can often overlook salaried staff and only consider those that are paid hourly”. Over 524 employers were named and shamed by HMRC in March 2024 for underpaying employees—this left over 172,000 workers out of pocket and a sum of £16 million to be paid. There’s a lot to consider, but as a general rule, you need to track every hour your employees…
Background In our last newsletter, we discussed some of the changes to statutory pay that occurred this April, notably the increase to £184.03 per week for maternity, adoption, and paternity pay. However, let’s go through the other changes that the Government has recently made to paternity leave. What are the Changes from 7 April 2024? The changes the government are introducing aim to give new parents more flexibility. How do I manage these changes? The first thing to do is…
April 6th 2024, saw some landmark updates to employer legislation. One piece of legislation will change employer relations for good. The Flexible Working Amendment 2023 has made massive changes to flexible working, and employers must adapt. What is Flexible Working? Simply put, flexible working and flexible working rules are any type of working pattern that differs from a conventional one. In other words, ways of working that suit an employee’s needs. For example: Flexible working allows employees to adapt their…
It’s that time again, on April 1st the Government will introduce changes to statutory payment rates. It happens every year, and 2024 is no exception. Across our 40 years in HR, we’ve seen many changes to employment law. So, make yourself a cup of tea, put your feet up, and we’ll walk you through all you need to know. Changes Coming in April Statutory Maternity Pay One of the most significant changes coming in April is statutory maternity pay. Although…
The most recent government guidelines represent a seismic increase in payment rates across the board. But it’s not as simple as doing a blanket increase in payroll. At HR:4UK, we have 40 years of experience dealing with payroll adjustments, and by outsourcing your payroll, you can have the peace of mind of knowing that you are compliant. In November of 2023, the British Government outlined its biggest-ever increase to the National Minimum Wage. The pay boost is worth up to…
It is not uncommon in certain situations, e.g. when dining out, to tip your waiter/waitress. Within the UK, however, there are no current laws which state that the tips must go to the employees. As such, you may have found yourself asking the following question, “Do you get to keep your tips?” The government have unveiled plans to overhaul tipping practices to ensure all tips go to workers which will make the previous question redundant. The reason behind the…
Hiring illegal workers in the United Kingdom can have serious consequences for both employers and employees alike. While the government is committed to maintaining a strong and fair immigration system, employers are expected to play their part in ensuring a legal and compliant workforce. Unfortunately, right to work and immigration laws are often a tricky course to navigate, and many employers have already fallen foul of the law in notable cases. Today, we discuss the potential problems that business owners…
As an employer, it is no secret that you are responsible for ensuring that your employees have a legal right to work in the country. The punishments for not doing so are harsh indeed: up to 5 years in jail and a potentially unlimited fine. As such, it’s imperative that you’re familiar with the necessary requirements to legally employ people in the United Kingdom. To assist in this, companies can make use of a feature introduced in July 2019 as…
Conservative MP and Minister for Levelling Up Dehenna Davison resigned last week, citing chronic migraines as the chief reason for her being unable to continue her work1. The 30-year-old MP for Bishop Auckland’s sudden and surprising resignation has raised concerns over how migraines are handled in the UK, the extent of their effects and how businesses can better accommodate those who suffer from them. In this article, we take a look at the scale of the issue, and offer advice…
In light of our newsletter discussing National Minimum Wage (NMW) breaches, we’re highlighting the major factors that employees should consider to avoid falling foul of the law. Indeed, ensuring that your employees receive at least the minimum wage is not just a legal obligation, but also a moral one. Failing to do so can result in serious consequences, and not just financial ones: many businesses across the country have already faced becoming part of the government’s ‘name and shame’ list,…