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Is the Government Making Changes to Statutory Sick Pay from April 2026? At present, to claim SSP, an employee must earn, on average, at least £125 per week (the lower earnings limit) and be off sick for at least four consecutive days (including non-working days). This is known as a ‘period of incap…
Read moreAll employers are under a statutory obligation to carry out right to work checks on ALL employees they recruit. Failure to carry out any, adequate or negligent checks can lead to a fine of up to £45,000 per employee for a first breach and £60,000 for repeated breaches. However, a defence or “statuto…
Read moreIn the case of Stedman v Haven Leisure Ltd [2025] EAT 82, the Employment Appeals Tribunal has given important directions in relation to a disability having an adverse effect on an employee. The ruling by the Employment Tribunal in this case was the employee was not disabled. The employee had been d…
Read moreUnder the Equality Act 2010, employers are expected to investigate and make reasonable adjustments to accommodate employees with disabilities. However, a recent case highlighted that where there are genuine operational and safety concerns, an employer is not guilty of disability discrimination where…
Read moreIs there an obligation for an employer to make reasonable adjustments where the adjustment may not remove the disadvantage faced by a disabled employee? An employer’s obligation to make reasonable adjustments to support a disabled employee is set out in Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010. Section…
Read moreThe summer season has brought an expected heatwave, and employers are reminded to keep in mind the health, safety and welfare of their staff.
Read moreIn its 50th year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published an update on total fines issued so far in 2025. During the first three months of the year, fines were consistent with previous years, ranging from £400,000 in January, £1.3 million in February (one major fine of £1 million made up the…
Read moreFor a part-time worker to make a claim for breach of their rights, does the worker’s part-time status need to be the sole cause of the less favourable treatment by their employer? Regulation 5 of the Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000 (the “Regulations”) gi…
Read moreThe answer, according to a group of cross-party MPs, is that the UK system is one of the worst in Europe. It is entrenched with outdated gender stereotypes, according to a report issued by the Women and Equalities Committee. The Department for Business and Trade has announced that the UK government…
Read moreUnder TUPE regulations, most of an employee’s terms and conditions of employment transfer to the incoming employer. As a consequence, all the rights, powers, duties, and liabilities that the transferor (outgoing) employer holds in connection with the employee’s contract also pass to the incoming emp…
Read moreThe Apprenticeship Funding Rules for 2025 to 2026 have been revised and improved, allowing them to better support the modern needs of employers. Effective from 1st August 2025, the Apprenticeships (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 will amend the earlier 2017 regulati…
Read moreBusinesses are facing rising costs, such as increases to employer NIC and the National Minimum Wage, and are therefore seeking ways to increase profits or reduce losses. As the employee wage bill is generally a business’s largest expense, redundancy may seem like the best solution to reduce business…
Read moreEmployers often neglect the importance and value of employment contracts and policies. If you do not keep your employment contract and policies up to date, you can face serious repercussions in the Employment Tribunal. This situation can simply be prevented by good HR practices, namely, by updating…
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Following the birth of the internet some 40 years ago, the next major technological development likely to impact businesses is artificial intelligence (AI). This technology has the ability to assess large volumes of data, identify patterns and trends, and support businesses in making more informed d…
Read moreAt present, the law requires employers to carry out right to work checks for all individuals they employ under a contract of employment or a contract of apprenticeship. Failure to do so may result in, among other things, a civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker, seizure of earnings derive…
Read moreThis legal point was carefully considered by the High Court in the case of ABC v Huntercombe (No 12) Ltd and others. The claimant initiated legal proceedings in the High Court seeking damages for alleged injuries she suffered as an inpatient at a hospital operated by Huntercombe. The company were t…
Read moreThe recent case of Forrester-Hayes v Scania GB Ltd has shed light on how employment tribunals assess dismissals where the dismissed employee had ADHD. In this case, Mr Forrester-Hayes (F-H) was employed as an apprentice in a garage. After suspecting colleagues had “tampered with his lunch”, he sent…
Read moreThe recent Supreme Court ruling has clarified the definitions of "man," "woman," and "sex" in the context of the Equality Act 2010. The judges unanimously ruled that a woman is defined by biological sex. This decision has immediate implications for the workplace, particularly regarding the provision…
Read moreCan an employer’s working arrangements amount to indirect discrimination for employees who have childcare responsibilities? In Dobson v North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust 2023, Mrs Dobson (D), a community nurse, had three children, two of whom were disabled. As a result, she worked…
Read moreEmployers who do not undertake right to work checks risk a 5-year prison sentence and face an unlimited fine if they knew, or had reasonable cause to believe, that an applicant does not have the right to work in the United Kingdom. This includes knowing that the person: Does not have permission…
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