We mentioned in our last newsletter that, subject to certain exemptions, the government planned to require all care home workers to be vaccinated against Covid-19. That regulation was still in draft form and subject to parliamentary approval. We can now report that the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021,…
[ READ MORE ] from Mandatory vaccinations in care homes: 16 weeks and counting
The government will consult on flexible working but there is no plan to introduce a legal right to work from home. The government has confirmed it plans to commence a consultation which would consider whether flexible working would become the default option unless there are good reasons not to do so. According to The Guardian,…
[ READ MORE ] from Government to commence consultation on flexible working
You can be sent to jail for 5 years and have to pay an unlimited fine if you’re found guilty of employing someone who you knew or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK. You might have to pay a civil penalty of up to £20,000 if…
[ READ MORE ] from Covid-19: adjusted right to work check measures extended to 31st August 2021
Yes, subject to certain exemptions, vaccination will become mandatory for care home staff, volunteers, and anyone else entering the care home for work. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published its response to the government consultation on making Covid-19 vaccination a condition of deployment for workers in care homes in England. The…
[ READ MORE ] from Will vaccinations become mandatory for care home workers?
Hands up those who understand shared parental leave. Even if you do, can you explain simply who is eligible and what they can claim? You’re forgiven for waiting for an easier question. The complexity and bureaucracy of the rules prevent employees taking the leave. Help is at hand. The government has launched a new online…
[ READ MORE ] from A new online tool to help working families
Yes. The General Data Protection Regulation gives job applicants the right to see any interview notes that are held in an electronic format. That includes those held on a PC or in cloud storage. It also includes those that form part of a paper-based ‘relevant filing system’. This could be the interviewer’s handwritten notes filed…
[ READ MORE ] from Is a job applicant entitled to see their interview notes?
In autumn 2021, John Lewis will introduce what is thought to be the UK’s first equalised parental pay policy, offering 26 weeks’ paid leave to all employees who have been at the company for a year when they have a baby. This will constitute 14 weeks of full pay and 12 weeks of 50% contractual…
[ READ MORE ] from John Lewis has launched the UK’s first equalised parental leave policy
Foreign holidays are currently banned, and returning travellers have to quarantine. However, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed the government is planning to let people travel abroad soon, potentially from 17th May. You’ve just got people back to work so you can’t afford Covid-19 related absences. Where do you stand? Here we answer six important…
To prevent illegal working, employers must check that all prospective employees have the right to work in the UK before they start employment. Your business can be fined £20,000 for each person you employ who does not have the right to work in the UK. You are excused from paying if you can show that…
The claimant, Mr Gibson, worked as a chef in a restaurant owned by Lothian Leisure. The restaurant closed temporarily in March 2020 owing to the first Covid-19 lockdown and furloughed Mr Gibson. It asked Mr Gibson to return when it reopened. He was concerned about catching Covid-19 at work and passing it onto his clinically…
[ READ MORE ] from An employee dismissed because of Covid-19 concerns is awarded over £23,000
Mrs Witt (W) worked as a shop manager at New Quay Honey Farm Ltd (N) from 2002. On Friday 16th August 2019, Mr Cooper, the owners’ son, became angry when W attempted to discuss her pay with him. She said she was leaving and walked out. C followed her and flicked a ‘V sign’ in…
[ READ MORE ] from Tribunal awards £17,000 to an employee called ‘old woman’
The employment tribunal quarterly statistics for October to December 2020 show that single claims have increased by 25% and multiple claims by 82% compared with the same quarter in 2019. The number of single claims (13,225) also represents the highest number lodged in a quarter since January to March 2013. It is likely that this…
