HR Articles

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hours of its announcement, all six of the English clubs involved in the proposed breakaway European Super League have withdrawn from the project as result of outspoken opposition pressure from their own supporters the public including their domestic target audience of TV subscribers and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. 

In this month’s Data Protection Round-Up: a lack of awareness for the Children’s Code, new ICO guidance is in the offing and the Government’s Digital Markets Unit takes shape. 

Employers must keep in mind recent increases to the financial thresholds used for various employment law calculations – including a week’s pay in statutory redundancy payments and pay rates for sickness and family-related absences.

In the recent case of Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake & others, the Supreme Court had to decide how sleep in workers’ working time should be calculated for the National Minimum Wage (NMW).

This year many businesses may sadly have to start selecting some employees for redundancy as furlough leave becomes more expensive and finally ends. Alternatively, managers and HR departments may have to pick up those outstanding performance or conduct issues as furloughed employees return to work.