Blogs

Deep-Dive into What the New Government is Proposing for Employers

9th Jul 2024

With the Labour party now in power, the UK is set to experience the most significant overhaul of employment law in 25 years. Labour’s ambitious agenda, encapsulated in their ...

Navigating the New Statutory Carer’s Leave Policy: A Guide for Employers

25th Jun 2024

As of 6th April 2024, a significant change has taken place for employees with caregiving responsibilities: the introduction of Statutory Carer’s Leave. The Carer’s Leav...

The General Election 2024: What Could this Mean for Employment Law?

2nd Jun 2024

The upcoming UK general election is set for July 4th, 2024. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the date on May 22nd, 2024, after seeking approval from King Charles III to dissolv...

Why E-Learning Should Be Your Go-To for Employee Development

8th May 2024

Training your employees is obligatory – so don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Our comprehensive e-learning training packages can be the answer to your ...

Preventing Harassment Under the New Worker Protection Act

30th Apr 2024

A recent employment tribunal case involving Asda serves as a wake-up call for employers on the importance of properly handling workplace harassment allegations. The supermarket was...

April 2024 Employment Law Changes

1st Apr 2024

A significant number of new employment laws and amendments are set to take effect in April 2024, which are listed below. Employers need to be prepared to comply with these upcoming...

Upcoming Flexible Working Measures for 2024

4th Jan 2024

Flexible working is a broad term and can relate to a wide range of options such as working hours or patterns. These include part-time, term-time, flexitime, compressed hours, or ad...

The Importance of Employee Well-Being During Peak Season

11th Dec 2023

As businesses gear up for the Christmas season, indicated by increased demand, long working hours, and a surge of customers, it's crucial to recognise and prioritise the well-being...

A Milestone for Workers: National Living Wage Set to Increase by Over £1 an Hour in April 2024

28th Nov 2023

In his latest announcement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt revealed that the National Living Wage (NLW) is set to experience its largest-ever increase, marking a historic milestone for wor...

A Guide for Employers on Christmas Staff Parties

17th Nov 2023

'Tis the season to be jolly, and for many companies, that means organising the annual Christmas staff party. While these festive gatherings provide a great opportunity for employ...

World Suicide Prevention Day: Empowering Employers to Support Their Employees

10th Sep 2023

World Suicide Prevention Day, recognised on 10th September every year, serves as a solemn reminder of the global issue of suicide and the importance of mental health support. Suici...

Why Is Employee Training and Development So Important?

30th Aug 2023

Businesses that prioritise employee training and development gain a competitive edge in today’s face-paced and ever-changing working environment. Training and developm...

Effective Recruitment and Hiring Strategies: Finding the Right Talent

8th Aug 2023

In today's competitive business setting, finding and hiring the right talent is crucial for any organisation’s success. Effective recruitment and hiring strategies enable bus...

Is Micromanagement an Increasing Concern With Working From Home?

19th Jul 2023

The rise of hybrid and home working arrangements has presented both opportunities and challenges for businesses and their employees. Recent studies indicate that a significant numb...

Pride 2023: Celebrating Love, Diversity and Equality

27th Jun 2023

Happy Pride Month! June is a special month that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community, their achievements, and their ongoing fight for equality and acceptance. It is a time t...

Mental Health Awareness Week 2023

15th May 2023

Monday 15 – Sunday 21 May 2023 marks this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week and provides an ideal time for people to increase their understanding and awareness of men...

UK Government Proposes Smarter Regulations To Reduce Burdens on Businesses

12th May 2023

The first of the Government's regulatory reform announcements this week focusses on how smarter regulation across the UK economy can help "reduce burdens, push down the cost of liv...

Your April 2023 Employment Law Checklist

24th Apr 2023

See below our list of employment law changes, reminder and actions for April 2023… National Minimum Wage Changes From 1 April, the National Minimum Wage rates have cha...

Earth Day 2023: How Can Employers Make A Difference?

20th Apr 2023

Join us in celebrating National Earth Day! Is sustainability an important factor in the culture of your business and across your team of employees? Are you doing enough to make yo...

How Can Employers Support Employees Suffering From Long Covid?

4th Sep 2022

Those with long Covid can experience symptoms for weeks or years, with some symptoms crippling enough to have a significant impact on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day a...

Virtual vs In-Person Job Interviews: What are the Benefits?

22nd Aug 2022

With software such as Skype, Microsoft Teams and Zoom readily available at our fingertips and a global pandemic preventing us from leaving the house in 2020, the traditional method...

Strikes to Cause a Summer of Discontent: What Action Should Employers Take?

23rd Jul 2022

Britain is braced for a summer of discontent as transport workers in National Rail, Transport for London and Heathrow Airport threaten strike action over pay. Industrial dispu...

Jewellery Policy in the Food Industry: How to avoid claims of Religious Discrimination

14th Jul 2022

A factory worker who had been fired for refusing to remove his crucifix necklace while at work has successfully been awarded more than £22,000 after an employment tribunal ru...

Long Covid; Does it Meet the Definition of a Disability?

6th Jul 2022

In a recent employment tribunal ruling, Terence Burke, who had been dismissed from his job due to ongoing long Covid, successfully claimed that long Covid is a disability under the...

Can I ask an Employee to Work on their Day Off?

20th Jun 2022

One of the main components to the smooth running of your organisation is having adequate staff each day to carry out the daily tasks required. Being understaffed can cause a wealth...

Men's Health Week 2022

27th May 2022

This year, Men’s Health Week is running from 13th to 19th of June 2022. This year’s theme is ‘time for your Man MOT’. You may be wondering what a Man MOT is...

Managing Employee Holiday Requests

20th May 2022

With summer months and school holidays just around the corner, travel abroad as well as staycations are about to take off! Holiday requests (especially those made last minute...

Mental Health Awareness Week 2022

6th May 2022

Mental health awareness has been a pivotal talking point for many organisations across the country, and what better time to discuss the issues than now, as the 9th – 15th May...

Supporting Employees with the Rising Cost of Living

22nd Apr 2022

Inflation has increased the cost of food to its highest price in 13 years, along with the rise in energy bills and the rocketing prices of petrol and diesel, there will be few empl...

NEWS; Our Feature in Business News Wales

14th Apr 2022

Welsh HR Firm Celebrates the Creation of Over 120 Work Placements As the Kickstart Scheme draws to a close this month, Bridgend-based HR consultancy and scheme gateway provider, H...

The Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday; Employee Holiday Entitlement FAQs

8th Apr 2022

To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee there will be an extra Bank Holiday and as such your employees may be entitled to an extra day of holiday depending on the exact wor...

Your April 2022 Employment Law Checklist

31st Mar 2022

See below our list of employment law changes, reminders and actions for April 2022... National Minimum Wage changes From 1 April the National Minimum Wage rates wi...

Kickstart Scheme in Review

25th Mar 2022

The Kickstart Scheme has provided a boost to the careers of over 100,000 young people since its beginnings in September 2020. During the stress and upheaval of a pandemic, the init...

Shortening the Notice Period of an Employee who has Resigned; What Should Employers Consider?

14th Mar 2022

In the recent case of Mr M Fentem v Outform EMEA Limited, the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) upheld the decision that shortening Mr Fentem's notice period by paying salary in li...

Recruitment in the Social Media Age: How Can Businesses Win the Talent War?

19th Feb 2022

The number of job vacancies in the UK significantly increases every year, and this year is no exception. Many individuals are either seeking new roles, new companies or a complete ...

Controlling Banter in the Workplace

11th Feb 2022

Promoting a healthy, positive, and inclusive working environment for employees is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business. Without providing a safe envir...

The Latest Trend: A 4 Day Work Week

4th Feb 2022

Across the UK some businesses are beginning to trial a 4-day work week to innovate the traditional 5-day work week. Countries such as Norway, Denmark, and Netherlands are already a...

Employment Law Changes for 2022

20th Jan 2022

As the new year commences, there are many new employment law changes that are coming into place and it can be difficult to keep on top of it. This blog covers just a few of the mos...

Omicron: Controlling Workplace Absences

7th Jan 2022

With cases of COVID-19 rising as the Omicron variant becomes more widespread in our communities, so too is the level of absences in the workplace. While densely populated areas suc...

Working From Home: Facilitate or Face the Fines

28th Dec 2021

As of Monday 27th December 2021, a new procedure surrounding COVID-19, specifically working from home, has come into place. It is now required that employers in Wales take all reas...

Why are Employment Contracts so Important?

28th Dec 2021

You’ve found the perfect candidate, congratulations! The next step is to prepare the employment contract to ensure you avoid any future misunderstandings or disagreements&nbs...

Creating a Climate Conscious Culture Within the Workplace: Tips for SMEs

12th Nov 2021

With COP26 (Conference of Parties) drawing to a close today, climate discussions have likely left employers questioning how sustainable and climate conscious their business and wor...

Flexible Working: Could It Be Made The Default?

22nd Oct 2021

On the 23rd September 2021, the government issued a consultation regarding “making flexible working the default”. Rather than making significant changes to the current ...

World Suicide Prevention Day: Managing Mental Health in the Workplace

9th Sep 2021

During the pandemic, discussions surrounding mental health have become more common. According to research carried out by the Mental Health Foundation, the amount of people saying t...

Alert Level Zero: What Does It Mean for Employers in the Hospitality Industry?

13th Aug 2021

Last Saturday (7th August) the Welsh Government went ahead with their decision to move the country to alert level zero, allowing for unlimited numbers of people to meet indoors and...

Managing Employee Holiday Requests for Travel Abroad During COVID-19

24th Jul 2021

As a nation we are in a period of relief and celebration! As national lockdown restrictions begin to lift, vaccines roll out, and foreign travel begins to take off, many are optimi...

Fair or Unfair Dismissal? What Employers Need to Know

21st Jul 2021

On the 20th May 2021, an employment tribunal found that a man spotted at a pub while signed off from work for illness had been unfairly dismissed by his employer. Th...

EU Settlement Scheme: What Should Employers Do If Employees Miss The Deadline?

13th Jul 2021

The deadline to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme has now passed. It is possible that some EEA citizens working in the UK did not apply in time, which can leave employers unsure o...

The Kickstart Scheme: Brighter Future for Young People

1st Jul 2021

"In summer 2020, the UK Government announced the Kickstart Scheme, an employer initiative aiming to place 16 to 24 year olds at risk of long-term unemployment in six-month paid wor...

Pride and Beyond: Being an LGBTQ+ Friendly Employer

28th Jun 2021

Each June, the LGBTQ+ community across the globe celebrates Pride, a recognition of how far equal rights have come and a celebration of individuality, friendship, and love that has...

Right to Work Checks – Changes from 1st July 2021

22nd Jun 2021

On the 1st of July 2021, the UK transitions to its new right to work system, as part of adjustments to the law following Brexit. Free movement between the EU and the UK ended ...

Men’s Health Week 2021 – Promoting Men’s Health at Work

14th Jun 2021

Men’s Health Week 2021 is running from the 14th to the 21st of June. Men’s Health Forum are promoting a five step Can Do Challenge, encouraging men to get in touch with...

Carers Week 2021 – Valuing Carers in the Workplace

9th Jun 2021

This year, Carers Week is running between the 7th and the 13th of June with a focus on making caring visible and valued. The 2011 census showed that 6.5 million people, or around 1...

Why Are Social Media Policies So Important?

28th May 2021

More people are connecting online now than ever before, as many of us have turned to online platforms to keep in touch with friends and family throughout the pandemic. Having emplo...

Returning to the Workplace: Health and Safety

4th May 2021

Most employers will now be preparing for a phased return to the workplace ready for when the government start encouraging those working from home to return to the office. Employers...

Why are Employee Handbooks so Important?

26th Apr 2021

What is an employee handbook? An employee handbook is a document that highlights key information an employee should be aware of when starting at a new organisation. Most employee ...

Returning to the Workplace: Can Employers Make the Vaccine Mandatory?

19th Apr 2021

It has recently been reported that half of UK adults have now received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Considering the fast-paced rollout of the vaccine, many employers w...

Returning to the Workplace: How to Handle Requests for Remote Working

7th Apr 2021

As we approach the end of another national lockdown, workers will soon be invited to return to the workplace. There are many reasons, such as a better work-life balance or reduced ...

EU Settlement Scheme: Ensure Your Workers Do Not Miss Out

2nd Apr 2021

The EU Settlement Scheme allows EU citizens resident in the UK to apply for the status required to remain after June 2021. Successful applicants will be granted ‘settled&rsqu...

Employment Law Changes for 2021

22nd Mar 2021

Here we highlight some of the key employment law changes to look out for in 2021. IR35 The changes to the off-payroll tax legislation, IR35, will see the responsibility of assess...

Working from Home - Supporting Staff With Their Emotional Wellbeing

1st Mar 2021

Working from home has become the new normal over the past year as businesses were forced to adapt their operations last march as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesse...

Are you Ready for IR35?

19th Feb 2021

IR35 are the off-payroll working rules that currently apply to a contractor that provides their services to a client or organisation through their own limited company or any other ...

Grow your Workforce Through the Government Kickstart Scheme

1st Feb 2021

What is the Kickstart Scheme? The Kickstart Scheme provides funding for employers of all sizes to create new 6-month placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are ...

England’s Three Tier Lockdown and Wales’ Firebreak Lockdown

25th Oct 2020

Recently, the UK government announced the introduction of the Three Tier Lockdown for those living and working in England. Following a series of local lockdowns across Wales, inclu...

End of Furlough, Start of the new CJSS and the Job Retention Bonus

22nd Oct 2020

A little bit if a warning comes with this blog, its slightly longer than normal but there are a few changes happening in the next few weeks that we think will be useful for you to ...

Handling Flexible Working Requests

15th Sep 2020

The impact of the current pandemic has resulted in many employees having to work flexibly. While there are many employees that are eager to return to the workplace, many have...

Local Lockdown

31st Aug 2020

Local lockdowns Many companies have been in the process of bringing their employees back to work from furlough as lockdown restrictions continue to relax. As we’ve re...

Dealing with quarantine restrictions

26th Aug 2020

In recent weeks we have seen the government have announced changes to quarantine rules for those returning to the UK, which requires them to self-isolate for two weeks upon return....

Making Employees Redundant While Still on Furlough

14th Jul 2020

Last Friday (10th July 2020), the HMRC issued some further changes to its guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). The main change for employers to be aware of is t...

Workplace wellbeing - Getting to the ‘core’ of employee absence

1st Jul 2020

Guest Blog written by Laura Bryan the Founder of Mind Nourishing “All disease starts in the gut”- Hippocrates. Although made over 2000 years ago, there is a dept...

Working From Home – Is This the New Normal?

26th Jun 2020

Six months ago, ‘Zoom’ was a word used by camera enthusiasts or by a toddler to explain how fast a toy car moved. ‘Working from home’ generally meant taking...

Guest Blog - Covid Secure Workplace

22nd Jun 2020

Guest Blog by Cherie Coughlan (Managing Director) of Coregenic If you are planning on reopening your business, Coregenic can provide you with help and advice. After ma...

Redundancies – The Small Business Guide

22nd Jun 2020

If you are reading this blog you are likely to be a small business owner faced with the difficult situation of needing to reduce staffing levels. Making someone redundant is ...

When should a business consider outsourced HR?

10th Jun 2020

In these unprecedented times, it is even more important that businesses receive the correct advice regarding people management and support. An outsourced HR partner cou...

Staggered Withdrawal of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

1st Jun 2020

We love how the Chancellor likes to make his detailed announcements at 5pm on a Friday! However, we will forgive him as there was a small piece of good news for employers. T...

Furlough Exit Strategy

1st May 2020

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is set to end on 30th June and there is no news yet as to whether the scheme will be extended by the government. Employers th...

Making a successful claim under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

21st Apr 2020

There are inconsistencies between the Government Guidance (updated on 17 April 2020) and the Treasury Direction dated 15 April 2020 additionally the guidance has been updated a num...

Working from home – how to get it right

16th Apr 2020

For many businesses’ working from home may be a completely new concept. Others will be seeing the numbers of employees that work from home increase significantly in light of ...

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - Updated Guidance

6th Apr 2020

HMRC have issued further guidance on the new Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme this weekend for employers and employees. This is the third update to the guidance documents whi...

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

23rd Mar 2020

Following the Chancellor’s announcement on about the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, employers are keen to find out how to access the support. At this point very litt...

Managing Sickness Absence

24th Feb 2020

Long-term sickness absence is usually defined as a period of continuous absence of more than four weeks. When an employee is off sick for a long time, it can often feel like you&rs...

The Good Work Plan: UK Employment Law is changing

29th Jan 2020

Have you heard of the Good Work Plan yet? While it may not be familiar to you just yet, it is set to affect almost every business in the country when its policies start to come int...

Taking on your first employee

5th Jul 2019

Taking on your first employee can be really exciting but if you haven't had to think about issues such as employment law before it can be daunting! Here are our top tips to help yo...

Holiday Management

17th May 2019

Managing Holidays The majority of us look forward to the sunny weather, school holidays and the chance of a well-earned break. For many employers the holiday season can be a bit o...

Extreme Weather and Working

2nd Mar 2018

Unless you have been lucky enough to be on holiday in warmer climates you will have experienced the recent bad weather. Many employers do not have a Policy to cover this as situat...

Employment Tribunals

4th Oct 2017

No-one is surprised that the number of tribunal applications has increased since the abolition of fees. This article from HR Magazine is an interesting read and explains why the fu...

Employment law changes for 2018

4th Oct 2017

30th March 2018 Gender pay gap reporting for public sector employers Public sector employers must publish first reports before this date (with a snapshot date of 31 March 2017). ...