What do we already know? We updated you in our August 2020 Newsletter Coronavirus (COVID-19): Updated guidance on returning to the workplace on the 14 workplace guides the Government had published to enable employers to operate safely (known as being “COVID secure”). What’s new? The Government has updated the majority of the 14 workplace guides…
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What do we already know? In our April 2020 Newsletter Government reforms (4): Gender pay gap reporting – suspended! we updated you that the enforcement of gender pay gap reporting was suspended for the 2019/20 reporting year, due to pressures on businesses of the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s new? Despite suspension of reporting last year, it’s…
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What do we already know? At the time of our December Newsletter, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was due to end on 31 March 2021, but the Government had said it would review the CJRS in January 2021 to consider whether to ask employers to contribute more. What’s new? Following further Government announcements: the…
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What do we already know? We updated you in our January 2020 Newsletter Data Protection: ICO Data Hub & Subject Access Requests  that the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) had opened a consultation on its new, more comprehensive, draft guidance on dealing with subject access requests. The right to make a subject access request, broadly, allows…
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1. National Living and Minimum Wage: From 6 April 2021, the new hourly rates recommended by the Low Pay Commission (LPC) and accepted by the Government will be as set out below. The National Living Wage, which currently only applies to workers aged 25 or over, will increase by 2.2% and will be extended to…
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New regulations make self-isolation a legal requirement and introduce penalties for individuals and employers. These regulations (the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) Regulations): require people who have been notified that they have tested positive for COVID-19 (and their close contacts) to self-isolate for designated periods and to provide information to contact tracers about where…
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What do we already know? At the time of our October Newsletter Coronavirus (COVID-19): End of Furlough and beyond the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was due to end on 31 October 2020 and the Government was set to introduce its new financial support package for employers, the Job Support Scheme (JSS), to run from…
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What do we already know? Some time ago (2016!) the Government introduced a ‘call for evidence on restrictive covenants, particularly non-compete clauses(Government reforms (1): Restrictive covenants – call for evidence).  They wanted to seek “views from individuals and employers on whether this type of restrictive practice is acting as a barrier to innovation and employment…
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[Restriction on Public Sector Exit Payments now in force, imposing a cap of £95,000 on exit payments for majority of the public sector] What do we already know? We updated you in our September Newsletter Government reforms: Public sector exit payments – CAPS LOCK ON… on the Government’s proposal that exit payments to public sector…
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What do we already know? We updated you in our September Newsletter Coronavirus (Covid-19): Returning from abroad – self-isolation guidance  that the Government published new guidance (available here) for employers and employees on the rules relating to self-isolation after returning to the UK from countries without a travel corridor (or ‘air-bridge’). What’s new? ACAS has also…
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