October 2019 NewsletterIt’s October, and if the trick or treat of Brexit (depending on your point of view) is getting you down, we hope to help (rather than haunt) you with the warm bath of our latest newsletter.  Employee spirits should be raised (get it?) by the Government’s proposed law to ensure employers pass on tips in full, and by guidance on supporting staff who are affected by menopause symptoms at work.  We also update you on the EHRC’s new guidance on using NDAs in discrimination cases. In our case update this month we look at the role of HR teams and investigators when dealing with misconduct, the importance of managing the message of a massage, and whether vegetarians are protected by the law from discrimination. What Anne-Marie has been doing recently… I was delighted to be asked back by Lauren Chiren (of Women of a Certain Stage https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/), to join her in her ‘Menopause in Business’ workshops which took place as part of World Menopause Day. I was there to help with the employment law aspects of menopause.  It struck me that the conversation around menopause in the workplace has moved on massively since even last year’s events when Menzies Law first became involved.  There seems to be a greater willingness by employers to consider adjustments in the workplace to help their employees who might be struggling with symptoms. This is great news although there are still battles to be won. Menzies Law has been working closely with Lauren during 2019 so that we learn more and can advise our clients better on menopause-related issues.  A rewarding development of this is that Lauren is now recommending Menzies Law as her preferred legal partner to her clients.  We have created menopause policies for Lauren (which she includes as part of her ‘package’ to clients) and we are now starting to develop ‘guidance documents’ for employers on the menopause.  If you would like to find out more, do get in touch with me () or with Lauren (). I will be continuing to examine Menopause in Business in my next blog.  It is still the case that if you want to be a ‘stand out’ employer, making your business ‘meno-friendly’ would definitely be a great USP. Anne-Marie Boyle Partner Email Anne-Marie or call 0117 325 0924 Free training! Our friends at HR Champions have some fully-funded training opportunities available which we thought you may like to access.  Please find details to follow together with eligibility and contact information: HR Champions are pleased to offer FREE accredited qualifications for businesses in Worcestershire, West of England and Swindon/Wiltshire. The qualifications are co-funded by the ESFA and the European Social Fund, and allows us to work with Local Enterprise Partnerships in these areas to upskill SME’s in areas such as Leadership & Management, HR for Managers, Customer Service, Coaching and Sales. These courses are accredited by the ILM and City & Guilds, with an option to run it in-house for your organisation, or at an open venue for a mixture of organisations to attend. The great news is, if your organisation has less than 250 employees and a turnover of less than 50 million, then you’re most likely eligible to access this FREE training! To hear more about this offering, why not give Sophie O’Donoghue a call on 07775 425348, or alternatively email .   A roundup of this month’s news:   Government reforms (1):  Top Tip for Staff New Guidance – 1. ACAS Guidance: Menopause at work New Guidance – 2. EHRC Guidance on NDAs in Discrimination Cases Case update (1): Sex Discrimination – When is harassment sexual? Case update (2): Discrimination – Are Vegetarians Protected? Case update (3): Unfair Dismissal and Investigations  ... Read more...