What’s new
From 6 April 2024, there is a new statutory right to carer’s leave, as outlined in the Carer’s Leave Act 2023 and further detailed in the Carer’s Leave Regulations 2024. This progressive change signals a new era of support for employees shouldering caring responsibilities, ensuring they receive the leave they need from day one of their employment. What This Means for You and Your Team: Immediate Eligibility: From their first day, employees can avail themselves of carer’s leave, ensuring support…
National Apprenticeship Week runs from 5th to 11th February across England marking the perfect time for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to explore how apprenticeships can help their business. This week not only marks a celebration of apprenticeship success stories but is also a reminder for businesses to understand and leverage the benefits of apprenticeships. In this article, we’ll explore apprenticeships, their advantages for companies, and the key things SMEs should consider when taking apprentices on. Understanding Apprenticeships Apprenticeships are…
The workplace is often a hub of high pressure and intense interactions, where conflicts among staff can escalate quickly. In such a tense atmosphere, how should an employer react when an employee, caught in a contentious exchange with their manager, impulsively resigns, only to withdraw their resignation shortly after? ‘Heat of the moment’ resignations is a hot topic in our Employment Appeal Tribunals, so let’s delve a little deeper to see what lessons can be learned. What is a Heat…
January is often dubbed as the “Divorce Month,” whether this is a myth or reality, we simply don’t know but January usually marks a traditional spike in the number of couples deciding to part ways, with the pressures of the Christmas season being the last straw. Alongside moving home, death of a loved one, divorce is one of the most stressful life events that a person can ever go through. But what does this mean for an employer, I hear…
In the dynamic world of small businesses, the health and well-being of employees are paramount. Engaging with occupational health services early can yield substantial benefits, enhancing employee well-being and productivity, reducing absenteeism, and fostering a positive work environment. Occupational health services traditionally focus on assisting employees in returning to work after long-term sickness absence or injury. However, it’s increasingly recognised that occupational health can play a crucial role in supporting employees who, despite health challenges, wish to remain at work.…
2023 was a bit of whirlwind with all the Private Members Bills making their way through parliament. It has been a landmark year for many reasons, and in it we have witnessed significant developments in the realm of employment law, shaping the landscape for both employers and employees for years to come. So, what better time to carry out a comprehensive review of the key changes and updates that we can expect to come into force in 2024 and what…
Continuing on from our discussion of the year’s changes, which you can find here, do enjoy this, our second part. Family-Friendly Measures Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023 Although employers must already allow their staff to return to the same or similar role following a period of maternity, and indeed offer alternatives to redundancy, 2023’s new changes provide extra protection for pregnant employees or those already on maternity leave against redundancy. The Changes This level of protection…
As the festive season rolls in, Christmas Jumper Day is here to give us its warm embrace to match! This year’s Christmas Jumper day is tomorrow, Thursday the 7th of December, and we at HR:4UK are looking forward to much fun, laughter and merriment. Originally conceived as a light-hearted way to raise funds for charity, this day has become a staple in the festive calendar for many and a great way to come together for a good cause. However, in today’s…
For years, employers in the UK have grappled with the complexities of calculating and administering holiday pay. The landscape of employment law, especially regarding holiday entitlements, has been continually evolving, often leaving businesses in a state of uncertainty. The turning point in this saga was the landmark 2022 Harpur Trust v Brazel case, which marked a significant deviation from the established norms, especially for atypical workers. This article aims to demystify the upcoming Employment Rights (Amendment, Revocation and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2023.…
In the dawning age of workplace digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a revolutionary force. From automating mundane tasks to providing predictive analytics, AI promises to reshape the UK workplace. However, with great technology comes great responsibility, particularly in the realm of legal compliance and ethical considerations. As employers in the UK explore the frontiers of AI, understanding the legal landscape is crucial. AI and Recruitment: Fairness in Algorithms One of the primary applications of AI in the workplace…
The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has called forth a new era of technological disruption that is reshaping industries and economies – even the very nature of human life itself – like a tidal wave, unstoppable and unyielding. In much of the developed world, AI is playing an increasingly prominent role in the workforce, offering unparalleled opportunities but also dangers hitherto unknown. As such, there’s no better time to discuss the impact that it has already had on the world…
The country is currently in the depths of a cost-of-living crisis that has left many individuals and families struggling to make ends meet. As prices continue to soar and wages struggle to keep pace, the burden of maintaining a decent standard of living is becoming increasingly strenuous. This situation is further exacerbated as we approach the Christmas period, when additional expenses, such as gifts and holiday celebrations, put extra pressure on households. In such trying times, incentivising and rewarding employees…
A factor, which is really important to us here at HR: 4UK, is helping our community. We have developed a fantastic relationship with the local charity Menphys over the years: a relationship we are really proud of, and one we look forward to developing further. Who are Menphys? Menphys is a Leicestershire charity for disabled children, young people and their families. Their ambition? A future full of equal choices and opportunities for disabled children, young people and their families, empowering…
Following the launch of our new Resource Centre, there have been some common issues which clients have encountered. To continue to support you, we have shared 9 of these questions to help you take advantage of your new eConnect Resource Centre, allowing you to save valuable time and money. Q1: I’m trying to login to the new eConnect – I reset my password but I’m now getting an ‘Error 403 – Forbidden.’ Answer: Please can you clear your caches, and not passwords. You can…
Pictured L-R: Angela Clay, Managing Director HR:4UK, Ironstyles (UK) Ltd Owner David Dunn and Donna Edwards, Company Secretary. Christmas is the season of giving and a chance to show our appreciation to family and friends. In the spirit of giving, HR:4UK launched their first Christmas Prize Draw, offering our loyal clients throughout the UK a chance to win a £200 Amazon Gift voucher, to which we received a touchingly enthusiastic response. It is always nice to deliver happy news and celebrate…
Booking time off – and responding to your employee’s holiday requests – isn’t always that straightforward. Filling in forms and checking that you have enough cover on the days staff have asked to take off, is just another time-consuming job to add to your long list of admin tasks. But, thanks to HR:4UK’s eConnect Absence Management system, dealing with annual leave requests and allocating holiday, has become so much simpler. Instead of having to look in the holiday book or…
At HR:4UK we know how seriously our clients take health & safety at work; so to further enhance our services, we’re pleased to have on board highly experienced health & safety, quality and environmental professional Lucy Walsh. Midlands-based Lucy, has been delivering health & safety support to businesses from a wide range of industry sectors for more than 20 years and so is well placed to offer expert advice. She has invaluable experience in helping companies of all sizes (including…
Did you know that Sunday 6 October 2019 is National Grandparents Day in the UK? It’s an ideal opportunity to make a fuss of our grandmas and grandpas and recognise just how much they mean to us. Grandparents are often the unsung heroes in our society – with many looking after grandchildren so their own children can go out to work without shelling out for daily childcare. In many cases, the grandparents are still of working age themselves so must…