Managing Misconduct
22 / 06 / 2011
With the longest day just past and Wimbledon well under way, it might seem a bit late to be making New Year’s Resolutions, but it’s never too late to focus on managing people correctly. When dealing with misconduct, it is important to act in a timely manner. The first thing you need to do is carry out a thorough investigation....
Employment Law Update – The Agency Workers Regulations
03 / 06 / 2011
The Agency Workers Regulations, which come into force on 1st October, will implement the Temporary Agency Workers Directive, giving agency workers the same basic employment conditions after 12 weeks in a given job as if they had been employed directly by the end-user. The rights fall into two categories. Day 1 rights for all agency workers will apply from the...
Employment Law Update – Employers Can Be Vicariously Liable For Employee Theft
25 / 05 / 2011
The doctrine of vicarious liability means that an employer can be legally liable for wrongful acts committed by an employee. However, this will only be so if the wrongful act is carried out in the course of the employee’s employment. Whether an act can be said to be “in the course of an employee’s employment” will be based on the...
Hints And Tips For Getting Workplace Investigations Right
06 / 05 / 2011
When workplace disputes arise, many managers shoot first and ask questions later (HR always have to deal with the ‘bodies’!) Needless to say, this is likely to seriously flaw the disciplinary process and put the final outcome in doubt. It is vitally important to collect and consider all the facts before taking any action. The fundamental purpose of a discipline...
Employment Law Update – What’s The Difference Between An Investigation And A Discipline Meeting?
05 / 05 / 2011
Tackling workplace investigations is an essential skill for managers. If you’re dealing with a conduct matter (i.e. where an employee won’t meet your reasonable management standards) you are expected to carry out an investigation to establish the facts. If the facts suggest that there is a case to answer, you can then arrange for it to be explored formally in...