Feature Articles

On 29 March 2022, the Government announced plans to introduce a new Statutory Code of Practice for employers using fire and rehire tactics. A parliamentary vote was held during the week prior on banning fire-rehire practices completely, driven by the Labour Party in response to the widely publicised large-scale redundancies of P&O Ferries staff. However, the vote lacked support from the Conservative Party and failed by 251 (against banning) to 188 (for banning), so new laws will not be implemented at this stage to prohibit the use of such tactics. However, it is hoped the new Code will act as a deterrent for employers acting unreasonably and safeguard workers’ rights.

Ramadan is the holy month of the Islamic Calendar during which Muslims partake in religious observance, including ritual fasting from sunrise to sunset. This year, Ramadan is expected to run from 2 April to 1 May 2022 and we have outlined some key ways to support staff during this period.

National Minimum Wage (NMW) was first introduced on 1 April 1999 by the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. In the years since, hourly pay has increased the fastest for the lowest paid, reversing the previous norm that saw these earners with slower than average growth.

What are the health and safety responsibilities that make it automatically unlawful to dismiss employees or to subject them to a detriment? Barrister Robert Spicer reports on a recent case.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, many people’s working lives have been turned upside down. People worked from home and then in a hybrid manner, L&D professionals found themselves having to rethink how they delivered learning to so many remote workers, whilst they too were working remotely. It is not an overstatement to say that the last two years has been frenetic for workers everywhere. But what attention has been given to the L&D professional themselves during this time? What about their learning and skill development? In this article, Judith Christian-Carter, considers the need for upskilling and reskilling L&D professionals.

P&O Ferries has found itself in the spotlight following its announcement to more than 800 staff members that they were being made redundant with immediate effect. Employees were informed of this via video, with seemingly no prior warning. They were further told that enhanced payments would be made to them by way of a settlement agreement to compensate them for being made redundant without due process if this was signed and returned before 31 March 2022. Whilst the ethics and morals of their actions have been questioned, P&O’s compliance with employment laws is also under scrutiny.

Since the repeal of the laws mandating vaccination for those in care homes and wider health and social care, in England on 15 March 2022, employers in care homes are faced with the difficult decision as to whether or not they should re-employ unvaccinated staff they dismissed and on what terms to do this.

On the face of it, national minimum and living wage (NMW/NLW) seems like it should be straightforward. The Government sets the rate every year, it comes into force and that is what is paid. But, if that’s the case, how come so many employers get it wrong?

What are the symptoms and triggers of epilepsy and how can it be treated?

Do you know your duties, as an employer, to people with epilepsy in the workplace? As Dr Lisa Bushby explains, “reasonable adjustments” are often very straightforward depending on the job and an understanding of what might trigger seizures.