Looking for alternative employment during redundancy

To demonstrate that a redundancy was fair and lawful it’s important to be able to show that you have tried to avoid it. A key part of this is showing that you have taken reasonable steps to find alternative employment for employees at risk. You

Redundancy decisions – choosing who is affected and selection criteria

In many cases redundancy will involve a decision being made about which employees to make redundant and which to keep. Perhaps you are simply reducing the numbers in a certain role, or have changed the roles and need to decide which employees fill the new

What does consultation mean when making redundancies in a small business?

A key part of a fair and lawful redundancy procedure is consultation. But what does this actually look like in the context of a small business? Why do I need to consult? One of the key parts of lawful dismissal of any kind is that

How to handle quarantined employees travelling abroad this summer

Whilst many employees are cancelling foreign holidays, or have already missed them, as lockdown lifts slightly, there are also many who are still wanting to travel abroad. These are tending to be more likely to be those with family overseas, who they understandably wish to

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