The right to request flexible working has been extended to parents of children aged under 18 and will come into force on 6 April 2011. Currently the right applies to parents of children aged under 17, as well as parents of disabled children aged unde  More...
21 December 2010 15:10

The number of age discrimination cases has soared by 80 per cent in just two years as employers still struggle with changes in legislation.   The Tribunals Service has seen the number of cases soar to 5,200 during 2009-10, up from   More...
06 December 2010 13:00

Snow, ice and extreme temperatures continue to plunge the UK into chaos, meaning that HR and employers have more people-related challenges than usual regarding: absence and attendance, pay, leave, health and safety and the rights of their staff.   More...
01 December 2010 15:54

Consultant editor Darren Newman explains why the drafting of the provision in the Equality Act 2010 on compromise agreements could effectively mean that no compromise agreement under the Act is enforceable. It is becoming increasingly clear that a s  More...
29 October 2010 00:00

Employers often believe that it is unlawful to make a woman redundant during maternity leave. The recent case of Simpson v Endsleigh Insurance Services Ltd emphasises that, not only is this a misconception, but the right of a woman on maternity l  More...
05 October 2010 10:01

Most of the Equality Act 2010  came into force on 1 October 2010 and employers need to make sure they comply with the  changes to legislation. Warning: This page is no longer updated. It has been   More...
22 September 2010 15:19

The Government yesterday confirmed that the main provisions of the Equality Act 2010 will come into force on 1 October 2010, and has made transitional provisions concerning discriminatory acts occurring before 1 October. On 1 October, the elements o  More...
22 September 2010 13:20

For a limited time only, Personnel Today Plus members can access a full model policy on equal opportunities which takes the Equality Act 2010 into account With elements of the Equality Act coming into force at  More...
22 September 2010 12:59

One of my employees has asked to be accompanied by her lawyer at a disciplinary hearing. It's a serious matter and I may need to report her to a regulatory body if the allegations against her are proven. Do I need to agree to her request? In these c  More...
09 September 2010 10:52

One of my employees was allegedly seen committing a criminal act outside work by a colleague, and the police are involved. Can I take disciplinary action and, if so, must I wait until the police investigation is finished? The fact that an employee h  More...
13 August 2010 09:09

The coalition Government has called on the public to suggest which regulations "should be removed or changed" to make running a business or organisation simpler. As employment law was seen by some as a growth area of regulation under the previous Go  More...
09 August 2010 11:00

Following some redundancies my business is functioning well. However, the process raised some problems with the terms in my employees' contracts of employment, which I'd like to rectify. Can I alter them without notifying staff first? If you change   More...
06 August 2010 09:49

A new "one-in, one-out" system of regulation is to be introduced by the Government from 1 September. The new rule has been designed to apply initially to domestic legislation - including employment law - affecting businesses and the third sector. Whe  More...
05 August 2010 13:46

Love them or hate them, bonuses have been in the news recently and mostly for all the wrong reasons. The controversial one-off super tax (brought in by the Labour Government) of 50% on bank bonuses in excess of £25,000 paid between 9 Dece  More...
04 August 2010 16:41

A number of banks and financial services firms are reportedly taken advantage of the current state of the sector by poaching key individuals and teams to bolster their business. This video Q&A examines the possible legal ramifications  More...
29 July 2010 14:20

The recent case of De Belin v Eversheds Legal Services Ltd has thrown yet another curve ball into the sex discrimination arena. John de Belin, an associate solicitor at Eversheds, was made redundant in preference to his female colleague, Ms Reinholz  More...
14 July 2010 13:51

An employee at my restaurant business has raised a grievance after I started a disciplinary process to deal with a charge of gross misconduct. Do I have to hear out the grievance before I can fairly dismiss her? The first thing to consider is what   More...
14 June 2010 14:36

Facts The claimant, Raphael Geys, was employed as a managing director for fixed income sales at bank Societe Generale. On 29 November 2007, Geys was handed a letter that stated that the bank "has decided to terminate your employment with immediate e  More...
14 June 2010 12:36

British Airways (BA) is involved in a long-running and bitter dispute with trade union Unite, representing cabin crew staff. The row centres on pay, staffing levels, working conditions and travel perks. A series of strikes have already taken place   More...
03 June 2010 11:59

Cycle to Work schemes present various legal questions, the answers to which Ben Stepney and Megan Fradgley provide below. This article is part of a Personnel Today Buyers' Guide, a free, independent resource for employers thinking of impl  More...
28 May 2010 13:55