Ongoing Employment Law Review: No-Fault Dismissal and Protected Conversations
As part of its ongoing review of the current employment law framework, the Government has recently launched a call for evidence on existing dismissal processes and associated ACAS guidance. In addition, it is continuing to explore the notion of compensated no-fault dismissal for businesses with fewer than 10 employees. This proposal would enable small businesses to dismiss an employee where no fault on their part had been identified, provided a set amount of compensation was paid to them.
Michelmores Employment Solicitors support Apprenticeship Week
Members of the Michelmores' Employment Team recently lent their support to the Duchy College's Apprenticeship Week Campaign, designed to educate employers in the South West on the benefits of growing their organisation through the use of apprenticeships.
Good News for Employers in 2012?
Before Christmas, Vince Cable announced a plethora of possible employment law changes, designed to redress perceived pro-employee imbalance. Nikki Duncan, an employment partner at Michelmores LLP, assesses whether these were simply headline-grabbing sops to struggling businesses, or whether 2012 will indeed be an easier year legally for employers.
Easier to hire and fire?
Vince Cable has outlined the Government's response to recent consultations on various far reaching Employment Law changes, and taken the opportunity to add to the shopping list of pro-employer measures.
Dealing with Industrial Action
It was reported on 14 November 2011 that senior civil servants have voted 4-1 in favour of industrial action over the Government's pension reforms, increasing the likelihood of a strike taking place at the end of this month. If your workforce is likely to be involved, you need to be clear as to the action that you can lawfully take (or threaten to take) against employees in response to their participation in this industrial action. Solicitors Tom Stenner-Evans and Bethan Jones from our Employment team have compiled the following summary to assist employers in navigating this potentially tricky situation.
michelmores Social Media
Why is this relevant for retailers? The increasingly widespread use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter by employees, both in and out of the workplace, raises a number of issues for employers concerned with protecting their business' interests.
michelmores solicitors Employment Law and the Modern Workplace
They never promised ‘deregulation’, but when the new coalition Government took office they did announce a commitment to increasing the freedom and flexibility of small businesses and to review any unnecessary bureaucracy that was threatening to slow the economic recovery. As a result, we saw the implementation of three schemes designed to stem the tide of regulation and to cultivate a more competitive environment for businesses to grow. The schemes included a ‘one-out, one-in’ policy for introducing new legislation; a three-year moratorium exempting micro businesses (with less than 10 employees) and start ups from new regulations; and, in true X-Factor style, the launch of the “Red Tape Challenge” website, allowing the public to vote upon which regulations they believe should be ‘eliminated’.
michelmores discrimination law
The recent case of Grant v HM Land Registry has provided employers with useful clarification of the scope of sexual orientation harassment and discrimination. Tom Stenner-Evans, a Solicitor in the Employment Team, reviews the case and considers how employers should approach this tricky issue.
Employment Law and the modern workplace
They never promised 'deregulation', but when the new coalition government took office they did announce a commitment to increasing the freedom and flexibility of small businesses and to review any unnecessary bureaucracy that was threatening to slow the economic recovery.
