Confidentiality and Sexual Harassment in United Kingdom

May 26, 2019May 11, 2019 by

The Government has announced new legal curbs against the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and other so-called gagging orders to stop workers reporting crimes, harassment or discrimination. The new proposals pave the way to ensure that confidentiality clauses, including those which involve cash payouts, do not prevent whistleblowers from speaking to the police or disclosing information regarding criminal proceedings. Prime Minister Theresa May intends to send a “clear message” in …

Mental Health should be Treated the same as Physical Conditions in the Workplace

May 26, 2019May 9, 2019 by

The Government’s Department of Health advises that one in four people will experience mental ill health at some point in their lifetime. While mental health problems are common, most are mild, tend to be short-term and are normally successfully treated, with medication, by a GP. Mental health concerns how we think, feel and behave. Anxiety and depression are the most common mental health problems and are sometimes a reaction to …

Brexit Threatens To Disrupt UK Employment Laws

May 26, 2019May 8, 2019 by

In November 2018, the Draft Withdrawal Agreement and Outline Political Declaration agreed between the British government and the European Union (EU) was published. On the 15th of January, 2019 however, with a margin of 432 to 202 votes, the House of Commons voted against this deal. Again the house voted against the deal on 12 March, 2019, with a margin of 391 to 242 votes against the deal. This continued …

Age Discrimination at Workplace in United Kingdom – Infographic

July 9, 2019May 7, 2019 by

The Equality Act 2010 has sought to end worker’s age discrimination in the workplace. This act states that “no one can be treated unfairly or denied any job opportunity because they are above, or, below a certain age or age group”. An indication that no one can be denied any right based on their age. Howver, age discrimination can come in different guises. Example One: During the recruitment of a …

Statutory Pay Rates in 2019

May 9, 2019May 6, 2019 by

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) and Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) are key regulations and it’s important to know how each of them work and how they impact employees. Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) SSP applies to all employers, regardless of their size and represents the minimum payments which should be paid by law. It is possible to opt out of the scheme but only …

True Employment Status: the Case of Plimico Plumbers

May 9, 2019May 5, 2019 by

An employee is someone who works under an employment contract. In employment law, a person’s employment status helps determine: their rights and their employer’s responsibilities. Thereby, an employee is someone who works under an employment contract. Employers must know each worker’s status for both employment law and tax law, forit is possible for a person to have different employment status in tax law. Employment rights All employees are workers, but …

Is it ever okay to be hugged by your boss?

May 9, 2019May 4, 2019 by

It is important to understand a few basic ground rules and dynamics for hugs at work. Is it okay to hug a co-worker? A client? A subordinate? Determining whether it is proper to hug is not just a matter of workplace etiquette but a matter of neccesity especially in the times that we live in. Some people might misconstrue a hug while others on the other end of the spectrum …

Why are UK Employees more likely to Whistleblow?

May 9, 2019May 2, 2019 by

In a survey carried out by the Institute of Business Ethics (IBE) employees were asked a series of questions which revealed that whilst UK employees were found to be more lenient in their approach to questionable workplace behaviour or attitudes compared to the European average; however, they were more likely to blow the whistle if they are aware of any form of misconduct or questionable behaviour occurring in the workplace. …

A Guide to References – Can an Employer give a bad Reference?

May 9, 2019May 1, 2019 by

A reference letter can increase or ruin your chances of employment depending on the contents. The reason for a potential employer asking for a reference begins during the process of recruitment. A potential employer might require a reference letter to support work ethic, history and performance in order to ratify that you are a good fit for a position. It ensures the validity of your application. A reference letter is …

Closing the Gender Pay Gap will take Centuries

May 8, 2019April 30, 2019 by

It is still a hot debate – does the gender pay gap exist? Despite the Equality Act 2010 many women are severely disadvantaged – working the same jobs and yet are paid less than their male counterparts. It’s a complex situation with statistics saying different things; some show that women are being paid less with little to no change in the gender pay over the years compared to males working …