Temporary extension of self-certification for SSP – Ceased from 27 January 2022
The temporary arrangements, designed to ease pressure on GPs in connection with the Omicron variant and vaccination boosters programme, extended the self-certification period for SSP from 7 to 28 days. This meant that for any […]
UK employment law cases spotlight – January 2022
Our legal team has come together to compile a rundown of employment law cases – including the background and decisions made – that HR and employee relations (ER) professionals should be aware of. Hope v […]
How employers can support autistic employees in the workplace
Television personalities Mel Sykes and Christine McGuinness have both recently been in the news as having been diagnosed as autistic in adulthood. Whilst adult diagnoses can be difficult to get, more people are becoming aware […]
What employers must know about the Health and Care Worker Visa
From 15 February 2022 the Health and Care Worker Visa (part of the Skilled Worker Visa) will be extended to care workers and home carers for a minimum period of 12 months. As many […]
Dismissal of care home worker for refusal to be vaccinated found to be fair
Several employers have already implemented ‘no jab, no job’ policies into their organisations with compulsory vaccinations remaining a contentious issue for many. The care sector is a particular example in which it now has to […]
The lunchtime lockdown with… Hannah Vanston
As a firm which places Employee Relations (ER) at our heart, we are proud of the amazing team here at esphr. That is why our current employee Q&A seeks to share a little more about […]
Why a data-driven culture will be the biggest HR and ER trend in 2022
From adopting remote working solutions to migrating to the cloud, during the last two years many organisations have done everything they needed, to maintain some form of ‘business as usual’. For several HR leaders and […]
Is flexible working to become the default?
For employers, the pandemic has raised many hurdles. But one of the most notable for many, was the unprecedented requirement for staff – with the exception of key workers — to work from home. Presenting […]
National Sickie Day and Blue Monday – what can employers do?
January has arrived. The Christmas festivities are over, the new year diet and exercise plans start (and often stumble!) and it can feel like we are all on a huge sugar detox after weeks of […]
Cutting isolation pay for non-vaccinated staff
IKEA has recently been in the news for announcing that unvaccinated staff will not benefit from company sick pay if forced to isolate due to Covid exposure. They are the latest in a number of employers to […]
5 steps employers can take to reduce workplace stress
A report by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) highlighted that over 800,000 workers have suffered from work related stress and anxiety during the past year. This makes up around 50% of the total number of ill […]
UK employment law cases spotlight – December 2021
Our legal team has come together to compile a rundown of employment law cases – including the background and decisions made – that HR and employee relations (ER) professionals should be aware of. Emuemukoro v […]
UK employment law spotlight – 2021 in review
As another unusual year draws to a close, you might believe that Covid has been the sole issue on everyone’s mind. However, we take a look at the key employment law developments of the past […]
Changes to SSP during the Covid pandemic | 28 days of self-certification
It has long been established that employees may self-certify their sickness absence for 7 days, after which they must provide medical evidence to confirm that they are not fit for work so as to confirm […]
Implying fairness into your disciplinary process – a noteworthy development for employers
Suzanne Wrench, our associate solicitor, explains the Burn v Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust case… In Burn v Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, the Court of Appeal rejected an argument, brought by a consultant […]