Questions and Answers

My business is going through a bad spell as a result of the effect of the coronavirus and Government advice. I doubt if I can now meet the present wage bill and I am reluctant at this stage to make widespread redundancies. Can I put the staff on short-time working until the coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency is over and the financial and economic situation improves? I cannot find anything in the staff contract of employment about this.

The Government has announced the closure of schools and nurseries due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). Some of my staff will now want to be at home to look after their children. What leave entitlements are there?

Is it possible to make someone redundant during parental bereavement leave?

What is an employment tribunal?

What is the legal position over bereavement leave?

I understand that the new arrangements for notifying an employer of taking bereavement leave and pay are complicated. Can you explain them?

I have an employee who is on sick leave. I want to contact them when their doctor’s note expires to see when they intend to return to work. Is it OK for an employer to contact an employee while they are on sick leave?

I think that one of my employees is taking sick leave but, in fact, I do not believe that he is ill at all. What can I do?

It appears that an employee has had an unauthorised day off. He phoned in sick but then posted images of himself at a public event on social media. How should I deal with him?

As an employer, what are my obligations to find suitable alternative employment in a redundancy situation?