HR Articles

The Government is consulting on how its proposed flexi-job apprenticeship schemes could be run, with input invited until 1 June 2021.

Following a Commons debate on 27 April 2021, the Government are considering their response to an ACAS report on the use of a ‘fire and rehire’ approach by employers.

Monica Atwal, managing partner of law firm Clarkslegal, says there are a number of questions an employer should ask if it is looking to adopt a ‘work from anywhere’ strategy. “The reality is that the business will need to do a detailed assessment of the consequences to both them and the employee,” she advises.

The House of Lords COVID-19 committee has acknowledged that hybrid working is here to stay. In the report Beyond Digital: Planning for a Hybrid World the COVID-19 committee acknowledged that hybrid working was always going to come at some point, but the pandemic has accelerated it. 

With the summer months fast approaching and with the fatigue of more than a year of lockdowns weighing on us, many are hoping the second half of this year will provide ample opportunity to enjoy holidays abroad again.

Within 48 hours of its announcement, all six of the English clubs involved in the proposed breakaway European Super League have withdrawn from the project as result of outspoken opposition pressure from their own supporters the public including their domestic target audience of TV subscribers and the UK Government. As only three clubs remain, it is clear that the project will not go ahead.

The Government continues to consider whether ‘Covid status certificates’ or ‘vaccine passports’ could be rolled out as part of the road map out of lockdown. Last week it was reported that steps were being taken to draw up a scheme. 

As the ‘work from home if you can’ instruction is set to come to an end in June employers could face employees concerns about feeling safe in the working environment. In the case of Rodgers v Leeds Laser Cutting Limited, a Claimant was dismissed after he text his manager to say he would not be returning to work until ‘Covid restrictions eased’ as he was worried about infecting his vulnerable children. 

The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) have confirmed that an employer did not discriminate against a male employee by paying enhanced adoption pay but not enhanced shared parental pay. 

The end of the Brexit transition period has led to a steady increase in sponsor licence applications. The licence, which is required to now sponsor EU nationals for work, is subject to compliance checks by the Home Office. As a part of this compliance, the Home Office routinely make announced or unannounced compliance visits.