Redundancy basics

If you’re contemplating the need to make redundancies in your small business it’s essential you understand the basics of what redundancy is, when it applies and what the legal risks might be. Here are some key points you need to know before you start: What

Seven steps to protect your business if an employee refuses to come back to work

Workplaces are starting to open again and business owners are reporting challenges or resistance from employees reluctant to return from furlough or from homeworking. Employees who raise health and safety concerns have some legal protection and, in some cases, are even entitled to refuse to

Annual leave and coronavirus – what’s the deal?

There has been a lot of confusion about how holiday should be handled during this period, so here are five key points to help you manage it. Cancelling planned holiday Of course many people have had their travel plans cancelled and will be unable to

What to do about probationary period during lockdown?

Most employers have a probationary period built into employment contracts, usually three or six months. It’s a time to assess the performance of new staff, monitor them, give them a good induction, provide them with training and support to learn their new job, and to

What should you do about disciplinaries or grievances during lockdown?

Many employers have furloughed members of staff now, or are doing so at the moment, or have people working from home where they wouldn’t normally be doing so. In many cases the impact of coronavirus on employers has been rapid, and in the space of

What happens to terms and conditions during furlough?

Because the whole concept of being on ‘furlough’ is brand new, many employers aren’t sure about how the terms and conditions of staff on furlough are affected. It’s helpful to remember that furlough leave is not like other types of leave such as maternity leave

Welcome to Rachel Norrington

We are delighted to welcome Rachel Norrington to face2faceHR. She’s going to be bringing our down-to-earth, realistic and tailored approach to HR to SMEs in Staines and the surrounding area, with the benefit of extensive experience across a wide range of sectors including construction, facilities

What if someone refuses to work during coronavirus?

Many organisations are obviously continuing to operate at the moment, either because they are key industries, or suppliers to key industries, or because they are able to keep operating, haven’t been told to shut down and don’t at present need to. But there is lots

Managing a pregnant worker during coronavirus

If your workplace is still operational and you have a pregnant worker, it’s important you understand your obligations and responsibilities around pregnancy. In fact, your general obligations have not changed at all. You have a duty to make a pregnant worker’s role safe for her

Should I rehire an ex-employee so I can furlough them?

    It has now become clear that even if an ex-employee was not made redundant because of coronavirus but left employment for other reasons, you can rehire them and then place them on furlough, claiming back 80% of their salary from HMRC through the