Feature Articles

How can PPE prevent the spread of coronavirus at work? Mike Sopp summarises Government guidance on when and where PPE should be used.

Schools have reopened across England as an attempt to kickstart the nation back to some form of normality. Since pupils of all ages and year groups have been allowed to return to school, parents have also been able to gradually return to work. Opeyemi Ogundeji, researcher and employment law writer at Croner-i, explores this in more detail below.

The risks from Covid-19 are still very much present in the workplace and it is important to remember that employers have a duty of care towards their employees and should take reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of their workforce. This information is being continually checked and updated.

Coronavirus news has dominated the headlines for the last few months, but Government plans are still underway to carry out Brexit at the end of the year. Some employers are still waiting to see what the impact of this will be. On 23 June 2016, the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU). Originally scheduled for 29 March 2019, the date the UK was to officially leave the EU was delayed to 31 January 2020, and on this date, the UK left the EU.

As the UK faces the risk of a second wave of coronavirus, mental health pressure remains acute. Managers and employers have the same duty of care to staff during the pandemic as at any other time, however, it is especially important during the crisis that staff and practice managers protect their own and staff mental wellbeing through open and honest dialogue regarding situations that have been encountered and those likely to be faced moving forward.

In this feature, Deborah Bellamy discusses the proposed new changes to CQC regulation and other developments.

The experience of black, Asian and minority ethnic people in the workplace is distinct in many ways. Racial abuse from customers, race-based bullying and harassment along with subtle and overt workplace discrimination can all come together to create a powerful and toxic cocktail which can have damaging ill-health effects on workers — as well as negatively impacting the organisation. Vicky Powell looks at the latest advice on creating a healthier working environment for black and other minority ethnic workers.

FAQs on furlough and the Government’s Job Retention Scheme which aims to provide employers with an alternative to redundancies. This information is being continually checked and updated where necessary where Government guidance changes.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been in place since March 2020 in order to assist employers who could not maintain their workforce because their operations have been affected by coronavirus. The mechanics of furloughing employees under the scheme until 10 June 2020 are covered in our separate FAQs “Furlough and the Job Retention Scheme”. These FAQs deal with the mechanics of flexible furlough which is in place from 1 July 2020.

In this feature, Deborah Bellamy explores the impact of obesity during the coronavirus pandemic, and the current government campaign, proposed legislation and primary care interventions designed to tackle the issue.