What's New

The Prime Minister may have advised people to begin returning to the workplace (see Emphasis on “personal responsibility” as restrictions ease) but half of employers expect an increase in demand for flexible forms of working as the country comes out of the pandemic.

The Government has told employers that they can no longer order free rapid lateral flow tests for their employees.

The latest UK Report on Jobs survey from the REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation) and KPMG showed recruitment activity surging again in June amid reports of greater demand for staff and the return to more normal business conditions as lockdown measures eased.

The Government’s response to the consultation on making the Covid-19 vaccine mandatory for all care home workers in England has been published, and regulations are now approved and will come into force on the 11 November.

Having considered the 4200 replies to a consultation it launched in 2019, the Government has promised to strengthen the protections against sexual harassment in the workplace.

Faced with calls from business groups across a range of sectors affected by staff shortages due to employees being required to self-isolate, the Government has updated guidance which was first issued in May 2020.

A new government campaign has been launched across England to remind the public of the importance of continuing healthy behaviours in order to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

A Parliamentary Select Committee has written to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to ask about its role enforcing Covid self-isolation rules amid what the MPs describe as a lack of clarity on the guidance issued to businesses.

Acas has published advice to help employers who are considering whether hybrid working could be an option for their workplace and, if so, how to fairly introduce it.

We reported recently an announcement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson that certain critical workers would be able to leave self-isolation in exceptional circumstances (see Testing, vaccine passports and jabs for young people).