Tackling the January blues
While it is true that employees should be fulfilling their duty of care towards their employees and prioritising their wellbeing throughout the year, special attention should be focused on the month of January.
The Good Work Plan (changes will take effect from April 2020)
Following the Taylor Review on Modern Working Practices, the government has proposed changes to employment law.
Workplace Wellbeing
Is your workplace culture contributing to the ‘psychological harm’ of your employees? It sounds dramatic but a survey of 4,000 employees commissioned by Business in the Community (BITC) and Mercer Marsh Benefits suggests that employers aren’t doing enough to address the effect of work on employees’ mental health. Getting top billing for their negative effect…
Third party harassment
Third party harassment can happen in the workplace when someone other than the employer harasses the employee. This might include patients, customers or visitors.
Commute times
Analysis by the Office for National Statistics has shown that women who commute for an hour are nearly 30 per cent more likely to leave their jobs than if they have a ten-minute commute. The ONS believes this is due to childcare commitments. In comparison, men are more likely to look at money as the…
Philosophical belief discrimination (copyright)
The Court of Appeal has considered whether it was discriminatory on the grounds of belief to dismiss an employee for asserting her right to own the copyright in her own creative works. In Gray v Mulberry, the employee refused to sign a standard contract assigning copyright in the work she produced whilst employed to Mulberry.
Unfair dismissal
Is a dismissal unfair if the employer changes an investigation report following advice from an in-house lawyer? Not in this case, said the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Dronsfield v The University of Reading.
Vegetarianism and Philosophical belief
A philosophical belief might be a protected characteristic if it:Is genuinely held and isn’t just a viewpoint or an opinion;
Dealing with emails outside of work hours
We all find it difficult to switch off from technology. Work email being accessible on phones has blurred the lines between home and the office. Companies worried about these blurred lines are taking steps to stop employees from working outside work hours.
Britain is being warned to brace itself for the coldest winter in a decade
When temperatures fall to below freezing this can have a serious impact on someone’s health. Cold conditions can cause the body temperature to drop as can damp wet weather. This can cause illness, permanent damage and in some cases death.
