COVID-19 Immigration Tier 2 Sponsor Guide
What do Tier 2 sponsor licence holders need to be aware of during the COVID-19 crisis? The key message is that sponsor licence holders remain subject to their licence holder duties and should continue to follow compliant processes and systems. Only where there is specific guidance or exemptions from the Home Office should sponsors deviate […]
Managing Absences (Coronavirus Guide for HR)
The disruption to business caused by the COVID-19 outbreak is unprecedented. In this article, we consider various scenarios in which an employee may be absent from work and what are their rights during those periods, with practical guidance for employers managing absences due to the coronavirus crisis. Sickness absence due to coronavirus If an […]
COVID-19 & Holiday Entitlement (HR Guide)
Various new employment regulations have been introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic, all with the intention of helping businesses and the workforce cope with the effects of the outbreak, whether from a social or economic perspective. Here, we focus on the introduction by the UK Government of new regulations, which relax the current rules […]
Employment Case Law Update April 2020
A number of key employment law cases of significance for employers have recently been decided. Vicarious liability WM Morrisons Supermarkets plc v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 12 and Barclays v Various Claimants [2020] UKSC 13 On 1 April 2020 the Supreme Court handed down two judgments in Barclays Bank Plc v Various Claimants [2020] […]
Changing Worker Contract Terms (Coronavirus FAQs)
The coronavirus outbreak is forcing employers to make difficult decisions and actions in respect of their workforce. While the Government introduces emergency schemes to avert widescale layoffs and redundancies, employers need to be aware of the employment law implications of making changes to a worker’s contract terms. We look at some frequently asked questions from […]
Homeworking During Lockdown (HR Advice)
The UK Government has placed the country on official lockdown from 23 March 2020. Under the new rules, members of the public must not leave their house except to: Travel to and from work if impossible to work from home Shop for essentials, as infrequently as possible Exercise outdoors once per day, alone or with […]
Coronavirus Advice for Employers (FAQs)
Coronavirus advice for employers The outbreak of coronavirus in the UK raises a number of issues for employers across employment, immigration and health & safety. We are updating this article with the latest coronavirus advice for employers to help manage and contain the risks relating to Covid-19 and protect your people and your business. […]
Case Law: Covert CCTV Recordings in the Workplace
Protection of privacy for employees What do employers need to be aware of when considering covert recordings in the workplace? In López Ribalda and Others v. Spain, the European Court of Human Rights has overturned a previous judgment it made in the case of López Ribalda and others v Spain, the case where a supermarket […]
Case Law: Probation Officer Fairly Dismissed For Failure to Disclose
In Q v Secretary of State for Justice UKEAT/0120/19 (10 January 2020), the EAT held a probation service officer was fairly dismissed for failing to disclose dealings with social services in a personal capacity. This case demonstrates the difficulties an employee may face when challenging a dismissal after they have failed to take into account a […]
Case Law: Vegetarianism & Veganism: Protected Characteristics?
In the case of Conisbee v Crossley Farms Ltd and Others, the employment tribunal made a ruling that vegetarianism was not considered to be a protected characteristic under equality law. The basis of this decision was that it did not meet the relevant criteria for establishing a protected philosophical belief. The above case contrasts to […]