Last Modified: 13th October 2021
Wide ranging changes have been proposed to the way employers must deal with flexible working requests, and who will be eligible to make them. Aimed at making flexible working the default position, employers’ views are invited as part of a government consultation, open until 1 December 2021.
What is being proposed?
The proposals aim to bring more employees into the scope of the legislation by making the right to request flexible working available from day-1 of employment.
The consultation is also assessing whether the current 8 business reasons for refusal are…
Last Modified: 13th October 2021
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has published Covid-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan setting out how the Government will aim to prepare the country for future challenges, while ensuring the NHS does not come under unsustainable pressure.
What does the Plan mean for organisations?
Mr Javid explained that there is a Plan A backed up by a more robust Plan B that will be rolled out if needed. Plan B includes an instruction for people to work from home again if data supported this, along with reigniting the requirement to wear face coverings in certain settings.…
Last Modified: 9th September 2021
An official legal challenge against the Government’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccine rules for care home staff has now been initiated.
How will this impact organisations?
The new regulations are being challenged on the basis that they contravene the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 which prohibits a requirement for people to undergo medical treatment, including vaccinations.
Although the judicial review proceedings would be against the Government, not organisations, any official legal challenge to the new regulations will cause more uncertainty for…
Last Modified: 13th October 2021
New materials for care home employers for compliance with the requirement for care home workers in England to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
New letters available
To help care home owners manage their employees in the context of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021, HR-inform now has a series of letters that can be sent to employees throughout the process.
Care home owners in England are not permitted to allow entry inside the care home from 11 November 2021 unless certain exemptions are…
Last Modified: 29th July 2021
The Government has confirmed that the new rules on mandatory Covid-19 vaccines for all care home staff in England will come into force on 11 November 2021.
How will this impact organisations?
Resourcing problems may arise for affected employers if staff choose not to have the vaccine and dismissals may be necessary. When terminating employment, a full and fair procedure should still be followed as a change in the law in this way does not mean an exemption from normal rules on achieving a fair dismissal.
Read more here.
We have a…
Last Modified: 23rd July 2021
As was widely expected, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that Step 4 of England's roadmap out of lockdown restrictions will proceed as planned on 19 July 2021. The First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has also confirmed that the country will move to a modified level 0 from 19 July 2021.
How will this impact organisations?
There will likely be mixed emotions from organisations. Whilst England has done away with most of the restrictions that have impacted organisations the most, Scotland has taken an arguably more cautious approach, especially when it…
Last Modified: 23rd July 2021
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that people working in CQC-registered care homes will need to be fully Covid-19 vaccinated, with both doses, as a condition of deployment.
How will this impact organisations?
Making the vaccine compulsory in care homes could cause significant resourcing problems for affected organisations if staff choose not to have the vaccine despite the possibility that they will lose their job and possibly even their chosen career.
One important consideration for organisations is that, if it comes to terminating…
Last Modified: 23rd July 2021
Boris Johnson has confirmed a four-week delay to step four of England’s roadmap for easing coronavirus restrictions which had been set for 21 June 2021. HR-inform is on hand to help you manage your business.
What does this mean for organisations?
Many businesses such as nightclubs will no longer be able to reopen as scheduled and will have to wait until at least 19 July 2021 before being able to trade once more.
Other businesses that have been allowed to reopen also face implications, particularly when it comes to social distancing and…
Last Modified: 18th May 2021
With more staff continuing to work from home, we explore the idea of a right to disconnect from work outside of hours.
Right to disconnect
The right to disconnect gives employees the right not to be contacted by colleagues, management or clients during times that are outside their usual hours.
Whilst allowing this is not lawful requirement, the aim is to ensure that employees are not being regularly expected to work when they would usually have time off.
We explore the benefits of the right to disconnect, and how to implement it,here.
HR-inform…
Last Modified: 18th May 2021
With lockdown restrictions being lifted across Britain, HR-inform is on-hand to help you safely ask staff to return to work.
Latest on restriction easing
England, Scotland and Wales continue to push ahead with lockdown easing plans and it is essential you are ready for this.
Our recently updated training materials on bringing staff back into the workplace provide a model presentation you can use to outline your plans for reopening.
HR-inform now also offers new training materials for implementing mass testing in the workplace, which can be found here…
Last Modified: 18th May 2021
As Ramadan begins on 12 April 2021, HR-inform is on hand to help you manage and support staff observing this during the pandemic.
Ramadan
There are a number of areas that organisations can consider during Ramadan, including the maintenance of strong communication with staff and increased flexibility.
We explore this in more detail here.
The site has also added a new letter Employer’s response to a request for temporary… | CIPD HR-inform (hr-inform.co.uk), which confirms temporary flexible working arrangements that have been put in place during this…
Last Modified: 18th May 2021
This is a busy time for National Minimum Wage (NMW) developments and HR-inform is on-hand to keep you up to date.
NMW developments
The Supreme Court has upheld a previous Court of Appeal decision and confirmed that workers on ‘sleep-in’ shifts are only entitled to the NMW for the time they are awake for the purposes of working, and not when asleep.
Minimum wage rates are to increase from 1 April 2021, with a full list of all changes you need to know found here.
The highest minimum wage rate, the National Living Wage, is also to be expanded to those aged…
Last Modified: 18th May 2021
As part of the Spring Budget, the government has confirmed that the Job Retention (furlough) Scheme, previously due to end next month, will now remain in place until 30 September 2021.
Furlough scheme developments
Alongside the extension, there will be some changes to how the scheme works over the coming months.
Our detailed FAQs on using the scheme have been updated with everything you need to know.
Implementing mass testing for Covid-19 at work
All companies registered in England, regardless of size, now have until 31 March 2021 to register for…
Last Modified: 18th May 2021
The English, Scottish and Welsh governments have outlined plans for gradually easing lockdown over the next few months. HR-inform is on hand to tell you everything you need to know.
Relaxation of restrictions
All three nations are approaching this differently. The latest information for England, Scotland and Wales is available on HR-inform
The implications of restrictions being lifted
The return of children to school could ease some childcare commitments for staff.
Our coronavirus and furlough content can guide you through the process for asking…
Last Modified: 17th February 2021
The government is keen to encourage organisations with more than 50 employees to put in place mass testing for staff that cannot work from home.
Testing for Covid-19
To assist you in mass testing at work, we have added a new policy where you can set out how this will be managed and what staff should do if they test positive.
Along with mass testing in the workplace, the Government is also now carrying out surge testing in areas across England in response to new coronavirus variants.
The government’s updated traineeship scheme
Organisations are…
Last Modified: 17th February 2021
As coronavirus vaccines continue to be rolled out across the UK, you may be wondering how your business should respond to this.
Getting a vaccine
Our managing coronavirus issues at work guidance now has a detailed section on the implications of the vaccine rollout.
We are also pleased to offer a coronavirus vaccine policy, alongside a letter encouraging staff to have the vaccine.
Kickstart scheme development
The Kickstart scheme provides funding for businesses to offer young people jobs that train them for future opportunities.
Our…
Last Modified: 17th February 2021
As we head into a new year, HR-inform is on hand to guide you through the latest requirements in place to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Lockdown
England, Scotland and Wales are now all in lockdown and we are regularly updating our guidance to ensure you know what this could mean for your business.
The furlough scheme remains an option for organisations who are experiencing business downturn as a result of the pandemic.
Individuals most vulnerable to the virus are once again being asked to shield. Our model letter outlines their rights and entitlements…
Last Modified: 13th January 2021
The government has announced proposed increases for family leave pay and sick pay, which, if confirmed, will come into force from April 2021.
Statutory rate increases
Family leave rates, such as those for maternity, paternity and parental bereavement pay, are expected to increase from £151.20 to £151.97 per week.
The rate of statutory sick pay is also expected to increase from £95.85 to £96.35 per week.
Brexit
Despite the outcome of any ongoing negotiations, the Brexit transitional period ends on 31 December and HR-inform is on hand to help get…
Last Modified: 13th January 2021
England’s national lockdown has now ended, being replaced by a stricter tiered system.
Latest coronavirus restrictions
The government has confirmed that the new tiers in England will require more businesses to remain closed than before, and are set to be in place until the spring.
Meanwhile, Scotland are continuing to review levels of restrictions that each area of the country is to be placed in, whilst Wales has now announced new national restrictions to come into effect from 6pm on Friday 4 December.
HR-inform’s regularly updated employment law…
Last Modified: 13th January 2021
The government has released a new Treasury Direction on the extended furlough scheme, which covers the period up until the end of January 2021.
Job Retention Scheme extension
This new information confirms that claims for the government grant will not be able to be made for furloughed staff who are serving notice from 1 December 2020.
This includes those who are serving notice due to resigning, or retiring, from their role.
Our dedicated FAQs on using the scheme have been updated with these new details.
We have also added new letters to our HR-…
Last Modified: 13th January 2021
Originally due to end on 31 October 2020, the UK government has confirmed that the furlough scheme has been extended until at least December.
Job Retention Scheme
The extended scheme once again allows employees to be placed on full or flexible furlough, through which employers can claim a government grant to cover a portion of their wage costs.
That said, there are a number of differences, both in level of wage grant offered by the government and eligibility for using the scheme from November.
Our new FAQs on using the furlough scheme from November…
Last Modified: 13th January 2021
With new coronavirus restrictions coming into force, it is important that employers are ready to make use of the government’s new Job Support Scheme
Job Support Scheme
Set to replace the Job Retention Scheme when it ends on 31 October 2020, the Job Support Scheme will offer new government support to businesses affected by the coronavirus crisis
The scheme provides two different levels of support, depending on whether a business is told to shut as a result of coronavirus restrictions or can remain open.
Our FAQs on the Job Support Scheme will keep you up-…
Last Modified: 13th January 2021
The government has announced a new scheme that will replace the Job Retention Scheme. It is called the Job Support Scheme and is set to begin on 1 November 2020.
Job Support Scheme
The scheme has been put in place to assist financial support to employers who need it but at a reduced rate to the Job Retention Scheme.
Businesses and employees need to meet certain eligibility criteria to benefit from the scheme.
For the most up-to-date information, please refer to our new FAQs on the Job Support Scheme.
Job Retention Scheme
We have now entered…
Last Modified: 13th January 2021
The government is once again advising office workers in England to ‘work from home if they can’, unless they are in a job role where this is not possible.
New coronavirus restrictions
On 22 September, Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined new restrictions being put into place in response to a rise in COVID-19 cases, which included updated rules on homeworking.
HR-inform is on hand to help you manage temporary homeworkers with our detailed ‘how to’ guide. Subscribers can also make use of our model homeworker agreement.
Working parents and self-isolating children
Children in schools may be…
Last Modified: 15th September 2020
As the furlough scheme continues to be wound down, many of our subscribers may be facing the very real prospect of making staff redundant.
Alternatives to redundancy
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic continues to be felt and companies across the country are increasingly looking to ways to save costs. Whilst implementing a redundancy procedure is one option, HR-inform is on-hand to help you consider alternatives.
Our new checklist outlines options that you can consider prior to proceeding with a redundancy, and can be used as a reference to ensure you have evaluated as many…
Last Modified: 15th September 2020
The pandemic continues to present challenges, not the least of which being how to conduct interviews whilst maintaining social distancing.
Remote interviews
Although implementing a recruitment procedure from start to finish is likely nothing new for most companies, many are now faced with the prospect of managing a COVID-secure process. HR-inform is now pleased to offer a detailed ‘how to’ guide on conducting remote interviewing.
The guide outlines not only how to manage the interview, but also how to correctly prepare for it by sourcing relevant technology. It also notes the importance…
Last Modified: 15th September 2020
Due to popular demand, HR-inform is now pleased to provide a dedicated redundancy toolkit.
The toolkit, which can be found here, provides links to several areas of the site that can help subscribers through a redundancy procedure, especially during situations of mass redundancy. This includes our recently updated ‘how to’ guide on making staff redundant.
Brexit
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the government remains committed to delivering Brexit and it is important that subscribers are prepared for this. Hr-inform maintains informative employment law sections on Brexit implications and…
Last Modified: 15th September 2020
August brings a number of changes to the law and HR-inform is here to guide you through all developments over the next few months.
Returning staff to work
From 1 August 2020, individuals will no longer be told to ‘shield’. Employers will also be given more discretion to ask staff to return to work. It is crucial that you are aware of the best methods of facilitating employees coming back to the workplace safely.
Our new webinar on managing the new post-COVID workforce outlines the key factors you should consider over the next few months, such as the implications of a local lockdown.…
Last Modified: 15th September 2020
HR-inform is delighted to offer all-new content on international law which is available for free to all new and existing subscribers.
International content
To add to our substantial GB employment law information, the site now provides in-depth outlines of the law in 12 additional countries including France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Singapore. Going forward, a new country will be added to HR-inform regularly. Please see our article outlining this new offer for more information.
Job Retention Scheme
The government have confirmed that organisations who bring staff back from furlough and…
Last Modified: 15th September 2020
With news of the first local lockdown being implemented in the UK, HR-inform reminds subscribers of all steps they can take to both prepare, and work against, this taking place.
As lockdown continues to be eased and social distancing measures start to be relaxed, the government is keen to remind employers that the coronavirus remains a present threat to society. It is therefore more important than ever that you remain up to date with the latest guidance on keeping employees safe whilst at work, alongside preparing for a second wave of infections should one take place.
Our new webinar on…