Employment law blog

The HMRC guidance note for employees on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was updated for a tenth time on 21 May 2020, and the guides for employers on checking which employees can be put on to furlough, on how to calculate 80% of wages for a claim through the CJRS, on examples of that calculation and on how […]Read More »

 The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will remain open until the end of October 2020, it has been announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. New flexibility allowing those furloughed to return to part-time working will be introduced from August 2020, when employers will also be asked to pay a percentage towards the salaries of their furloughed staff. On 12 […]Read More »

The Law Commission (Commission) has published its Employment Law Hearing Structures report, which contains 23 recommendations regarding areas of shared employment and discrimination jurisdiction between the civil courts and tribunals, restrictions on the employment tribunals’ existing jurisdiction, the exclusive jurisdiction of the county court in relation to certain types of discrimination claim, and the handling of employment disputes in the […]Read More »

The Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) has released information it received from HMRC on making claims under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) where employees do not have a National Insurance Number (NINO). According to HMRC, where an employee has a NINO, but the employer does not know it, they should make all reasonable efforts to establish it. Where an […]Read More »

On Friday 20 March 2020 a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak. This scheme, which is available to any employer in the country, allows employers to contact HMRC for a grant to cover 80% of salaries up to a total of £2,500 a month per employee. The scheme covers the cost of […]Read More »

Coronavirus – a guide for employers As coronavirus has been spreading rapidly throughout the UK, employers should consider taking certain steps to protect health and safety of its staff. Make sure that your sickness reporting procedures are up to date and all members of staff are familiar with it. Provide clean places to wash hands with hot water and soap, […]Read More »

A new statutory right to up to 12 weeks paid time off work for parents of children who have spent at least a week in neonatal care (ie care that a baby who is born prematurely, or sick, receives in hospital) is to be introduced, the government has announced in its Response to the ‘Good Work Plan: Proposals to support […]Read More »

Employment tribunal claims in the period October to December 2019 In relation to employment tribunal claims, clearance times and disposals in the period October to December 2019, the report outlines that: in relation to single claims: 10,887 single claims were received—up 25% on the same quarter in 2018 (and 1,120 less than last quarter’s figure of 12,007 — although this […]Read More »

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will be made payable from day one of a sickness period, under emergency legislation relating to the coronavirus (COVID-19) Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will be made payable from day one of a sickness period, under emergency legislation that is to be introduced as part of measures related to the coronavirus, according to a press release issued […]Read More »

1. Background and scope of guidance This guidance will assist employers and businesses in providing advice to staff on: the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 how to help prevent spread of all respiratory infections including COVID-19 what to do if someone with suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 has been in a workplace setting what advice to give to individuals who have travelled […]Read More »

In Casamitjana v The League Against Cruel Sports, the employment tribunal (ET) has accepted that the claimant’s ethical veganism amounts to a protected belief under section 10 of the Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010). Consequently, it is open in principle for courts and tribunals to conclude that individuals have experienced discrimination on the grounds of their veganism in work, education […]Read More »

Changes to the operation of the IR35 working rules will only apply to payments made for services provided on or after 6 April 2020, HMRC has announced today ahead of the publication of the government’s review. The formal publication of a review into the implementation of changes to the off-payroll working rules is due to conclude in February. A common issue […]Read More »

Chris Davies was taken to an employment tribunal by his former office manager Sarah Lewis who claimed her dismissal resulted from informing the Conservative Party about a forged expenses claim submitted by Mr Davies in 2015, the year he was elected. Ms Lewis was aware of the forged expenses claim in 2016 and made the complaint to the party in […]Read More »

National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2020 will come into force on 1 April 2020 and will increase the National Minimum Wage as follows: • increase the rate of the NMW for workers who are aged 25 or over (‘the NLW rate’) from £8.21 to £8.72 per hour • increase the rate of the NMW for workers who are aged 21 […]Read More »

The Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (General) Regulations 2020 implement a new entitlement for bereaved parents who meet certain eligibility criteria to receive a statutory payment while absent from work in England, Scotland, and Wales. The regulations: set out the types of relationships with a child which qualify someone for entitlement when the child dies. This includes a child’s legal parents […]Read More »

A former accountant accused of misleading The Pensions Regulator (TPR) after he failed to enrol staff into a workplace pension has been ordered to pay £4,987. Paul Eugene Rewrie, 58, of Crewkerne in Somerset, pleaded guilty to one charge of knowingly or recklessly providing false or misleading information to TPR at Brighton Magistrates’ Court. Rewrie was sole director of accountancy […]Read More »

Unpaid Work Experience (Prohibition) Bill A bill to amend National Minimum Wage 1998 has been laid before House of Lords to make provision for the prohibition of unpaid work experience exceeding four weeks and for connected purposes. The prohibition will be engaged whether the period exceeding four weeks is  continuous or non-continuous. The bill obliges the Secretary of State to […]Read More »

The Government Equalities Office is today calling for sexual harassment victims to share their stories, in one of the largest surveys of its kind ever to be carried out. Feeding into plans to strengthen protections for employees across the UK from sexual harassment, the survey will allow the public to have an impact on Government policy, and ensure those policies […]Read More »

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued up-to-date practical guidance in order to facilitate employers when supporting their workforce. EHRC chief executive Rebecca Hilsenrath issued a letter in which she outlined the legal responsibilities directors face to protect their staff from any form of discrimination, victimisation and harassment. She also reminds employees of their rights at work and […]Read More »

Employment law in 2020: Action points for HR Brexit Ensure that your employees applied for settled or pre-settled status. Always make a copy of their passport or national ID, and retain them. IR35 in the private sector Changes to the IR35 rules on off-payroll working are due to be extended to medium and large private-sector employers in April 2020.  On […]Read More »