The TUC and Maternity Action have warned that employers are not doing enough to protect pregnant women at work and have published new guidance for health and safety representatives on “Pregnancy, breastfeeding and health and safety”, available here. In the new guidance, the TUC and Maternity Action explain that there are clear laws in place…
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What do we already know? We updated you in our September 2016 Newsletter Case update (1): Request to rest on the EAT’s decision in Grange v Abellio London Ltd that employees do not need to actually request a rest break (under the Working Time Regulations) before making a claim that their employer has refused rest…
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It’s nearly Christmas time again and, without being a party pooper, the festivities can present some unique challenges for employers. So to get some help on managing these please read on. 1. Christmas Party The annual Christmas party is often the one opportunity each year employees have to come together in a social setting. For…
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It’s nearly Christmas time again and, without being a party pooper, the festivities can present some unique challenges for employers. So to get some help on managing these please read on. Ok, we admit it, we included this piece in our December 2014 Newsletter! However, we have updated with some further presents of advice and…
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It’s that time of year when the biannual employment legislation changes take place, and the following come into effect on 1 October 2015: National Minimum Wage: The following National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates will come into effect: adult rate: increase by 20p to £6.70 an hour; 18-20 year olds: increase by 17p to £5.30 an…
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In my colleague Joanne’s recent blog she mentioned that companies, and in particular HR departments, often find themselves at the sharp end when dealing with cultural shifts. Here’s another recent development for the long suffering HR manager to wrestle with: what do we do about e-cigarettes in the workplace? The electronic cigarette (e-cigarette or e-cig)…
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Summary: Is time spent by a health and safety or trade union representative attending health and safety committee meetings and other union meetings counted as “working time” under the Working Time Regulations 1998? Yes, says the EAT in Edwards and another v Encirc Ltd, available here. Facts: The employees, Mr Edwards and Mr Morgan, were…
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Summary: Where an employee suffers from a psychiatric illness caused by workplace stress, how easy is it for the employee to prove that it was reasonable for the employer to have foreseen the injury, and therefore be liable for it? Not very easy, according to the High Court in Easton v B&Q Plc available here.…
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It’s that time again when employers make that big decision – to party or not to party. Christmas parties have received bad press over recent years with many organisations avoiding it altogether. However, it is possible for employers and employees to enjoy an office party – with some party planning and, more boringly, simple risk…
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Summary: Does your organisation have a clear adverse weather policy in place and are employees kept as up-to-date as possible regarding any altered working arrangements during periods of adverse weather? The EAT decision in Edwards and others v The Secretary of State for Justice, available here suggests that you should. Facts: The employees worked at…
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