Winter Blues

25 / 09 / 2019

The winter blues have come very early for me this year. If I get them it’s generally in about February. But the combination of Brexit and parliamentary activities calculated to delay any proper decision, once again casting uncertainty over the future (seriously damaging to the economy) made me feel very gloomy; then this week I heard Labour’s plans for government...

Pension and PHI

18 / 09 / 2019

We know that we should make provision for one of life’s “rainy days” by having the equivalent of three-six months’ worth of household expenses in an easy access bank account. But if the rainy day is protracted by ill health and an employee can’t work – what then? If an employee suffers an injury or becomes seriously unwell and is...

Beware! Voluntary Redundancy Can Lead to Unfair Dismissal Claims

11 / 09 / 2019

A couple of weeks ago one of my clients reached an agreement with an employee allowing him to take voluntary redundancy with an enhanced tax-free payment. What’s not to like?

Can an Employer Make a Sick Employee Redundant?

04 / 09 / 2019

If a business is proposing to make redundancies, consultation is an essential part of the process. ‘Consultation’ involves speaking to affected employees about the reasons why redundancy is proposed, alternatives to redundancy and the selection method for reducing numbers of employees. One of my clients has been going through a restructure which will result in the reduction in the number...

Are Employees Entitled to Time off to Attend a Funeral?

28 / 08 / 2019

Where employees suffer a bereavement, they usually want to attend their funeral. Do they have the right to attend? All employees are entitled to reasonable, unpaid time off for dependants. This is time off to deal with unforeseen matters and emergencies involving a dependant, including leave to arrange or attend a funeral. A dependant could be a spouse or civil...