Employment Law

Within the UK, 7% of the population are carers with 36% of them juggling full time employment alongside caring responsibilities. Balancing work with caring responsibilities can prove extremely challenging; caring duties can be time-consuming and the additional stress can have an adverse effect on the carers’ emotions. The government responded to the Carer’s Leave Consultation (2021) stating that they will introduce a new employment right that provides carers with up to 1 week (5 working days) of unpaid leave per year for…

From the 30th September 2021, the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme, along with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (Furlough), will both come to an end. But what does this mean? What happens next? As we climb our way out of the jaws of Coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions and return to a sense of normality, one thing is clear; COVID-19 is here to stay. We must find a way to live alongside it which means we should now familiarise ourselves…

Since the 1 January 2021, the UK has been rapidly adjusting to the changes brought about by a post-Brexit world.  With Covid-19 and the ongoing pandemic still dominating the headlines, you’d be forgiven if you’d missed one or two of the changes. Thankfully, we’re here to get you up to speed, to highlight what’s new, and to help you ensure your business and your clients are compliant with updated regulations. What’s new? One of the big changes is around National Insurance Contribution…

Start 2021 off on the right foot and get your business in order with some essential housekeeping. One important but often overlooked task, is to make sure that the nominated contact information, held by the list of key organisations below, is correct and up to date. It can be very easy to quickly check these online and we would advise that if any changes are made these are updated promptly. List of Key Organisations Payroll & Pensions HR:4UK have already contacted our payroll and pensions clients…

Know Your Responsibilities As A Employer  When the UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020, the UK was then no longer a Member State of the European Union and entered a transition period due to end on 31 December 2020.  Although Brexit negotiations appeared to be at an impasse, with an agreement being reached before the 31 December 2020 deadline looking highly unlikely, the Prime Minister remained optimistic that an agreement could still be reached at this late stage. …

The introduction of Jack’s Law this April presents employers with an ideal opportunity to review their workplace bereavement leave policy. What is Bereavement Leave? When an employee’s family member or loved one passes away, the agreed time off granted by an employer is known as bereavement leave. Also known as compassionate leave, bereavement leave can be paid or unpaid at the discretion of the employer. This time off enables employees to not only begin the grieving process but also to complete…

Hiring an apprentice is a brilliant way of growing your team and at the same time giving a young person valuable employment and training. Apprenticeships cover many different employment roles in a diverse range of sectors and offer qualifications from intermediate level right through to higher and degree level. Because of this they are an increasingly popular alternative to university, as they offer bright young people a chance to earn while they learn. Before you recruit an apprentice, it is…

At HR:4UK, we’re always looking at fresh and innovative ways to enhance our HR and employment services, keeping you up to speed with new legislation and making it easier for you to manage your people. The world of employment is constantly evolving, so we like to be several steps ahead, ensuring that you stay on the right side of the law. To meet these aims, we made some notable changes of our own during 2019, launching exciting new services such…

Calculating Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) can be a tedious, time consuming task, but something you must get right. SSP is paid to employees who are too unwell and unable to work for a period of 4 days or more. Most employees – including agency and casual workers in some circumstances are entitled to SSP if they’re away from work sick, so it’s a vital part of payroll. At HR:4UK we have many years’ experience in helping employers calculate SSP, as…

To cope with seasonal peaks in demand, employers in sectors such as tourism, leisure and hospitality often take on temporary staff during the busy summer months. Although you might term these helpful short‐term members of your team as “casual workers” it’s important that you don’t take a casual attitude to their employment rights. Don’t assume that because people are working for you on an informal basis, clear employment terms aren’t necessary. You and your workers still need to know what…

Home Office rules on who can legally work in the UK were updated earlier this year and it’s vital that employers are fully aware of their obligations. Failure to comply with the updated Code of Practice on preventing illegal working can result in employers being fined £20,000 per employee, so you need to know if your workers have the right to work here. This Code of Practice sets out what checks employers should make to avoid a fine – and…

A recent case highlights the importance of adopting a flexible and fair approach when dealing with a request from an employee to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing and how failing to do so can render a fair dismissal unfair. In the case of Talon Engineering v Smith, the Company suspended Mrs Smith following allegations that she had made inappropriate comments, about other members of staff, in an email that she had sent to a customer. There was also evidence…

In recent times nurseries and childcare providers have faced many reforms within their industry leading to both challenges and opportunities.  HR:4UK have been monitoring these developments and in response are delighted to announce the launch of an exciting new product – our Childcare Handbook. It includes the appropriate nursery and childcare policies, safeguarding procedures and employment documentation to help satisfy the new ‘Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settings’ which from September 2018 is the guidance that sets out…