Employment Law

17 07 2023

Ministers will not make firms report ethnicity pay gap

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General #equality, #equalityact2010, #equalityanddiversity, #ethnicity, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Ministers have opted against forcing employers to publish wage differences between workers of different ethnicities. Following an investigation into whether mandatory pay gap reporting would help eradicate disparities between the pay and career prospects of minority groups, officials have said: “We do not believe that now is the right time to take forward a mandatory approach to ethnicity pay reporting.” The statement added: “It is clear that a single reporting model may not work for all employers and that ‘a one-size fits all’ approach to action-planning will not be appropriate in all circumstances.” TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said that while ministers had pledged to address inequality and racism in the labour market, “once again they’ve backed down on their promises.” While firms with more than 250 employees are required to publish their gender pay gap, reporting ethnicity pay disparities is voluntary. Labour has vowed to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting for firms with more than 250 staff.

Daily Mirror

Our Comment: Ministers will not make firms report ethnicity pay gap.

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments:

“The reporting of statistics between any differences within a company’s workforce such as age, sex, ethnicity seems to have always been a problem, but why is this? I know the collating of the information can be hard for some businesses and many employees from experience are not forthcoming when it comes to providing this kind of information but surely if we are to make a difference in the workplace, basic information needs to be obtained doesn’t it? None of our clients are over the 250-employee mark but in the past when I have worked in industries of this size, we would provide a form in their initial induction pack to gather this information, but did anything happen to this? Did it help us when drafting and implementing / managing our recruitment strategy? Yes, and by using this information we were able manage accordingly.”

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What could an Employment Tribunal cost your business? Avoid the stress and cost with Consensus HR. Professional outsourced HR services. Call us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

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Employment Tribunal: The Potential Cost to Your Business

Understanding the New "Fire and Re-hire" Code of Practice in the UK | Consensus HR in Herts & Beds

17 07 2023

Employment Tribunal Payments | Consensus HR | Outsourced HR Services

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Law, General #employmentlaw, #employmenttribunal;, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Employment Tribunal: The Potential Cost to Your Business – Employment Tribunal Payments | Consensus HR | Outsourced HR Services

Since the introduction of fees, the employment tribunal has, thankfully, become a less common destination for business owners and HR professionals.

52% of all claims submitted, on average in the last 10 years, settle through Acas or are withdrawn, including cases which are settled privately. Of those that were pursued, only 8% of cases were successful at trial. This is over the same 10-year period, with the remainder of cases being either unsuccessful, struck out, dismissed at a preliminary hearing, or a default judgment granted.

However, when a case does come to court, the amount of the award can cost the employer dearly. This is why the Consensus HR team always emphasises the importance of being proactive rather than reactive. We ensure our clients are following the law and best practice in the easiest most effective way possible.

The latest annual statistics show that during 2021/22 the types of tribunals and average compensation awarded were:

Unfair dismissal

Number of claims awarded compensation 633

Average award £13,541

Race Discrimination jurisdictions

Number of claims awarded compensation 30

Average award £27,607

Sex Discrimination jurisdictions

Number of claims awarded compensation 45

Average award £24,630

Disability Discrimination jurisdictions

Number of claims awarded compensation 93

Average award £26,172

Religious Discrimination jurisdictions

Number of claims awarded compensation 10

Average award £19,709

Sexual Orientation Discrimination jurisdictions

Number of claims awarded compensation 6

Average award £32,680

Age Discrimination jurisdictions

Number of claims awarded compensation 11

Average award £18,623

At Consensus HR, we work with our clients to ensure that the correct policies, procedures and contracts are put into place and then acted upon. This ensures that the company operates well,

improves on bottom line profit,
reduces operating costs, and
is an employer of choice.

It involves rewarding your team adequately for the work they complete and with relevant management as needed. This isn’t an easy or quick task. One of our favourite sayings at Consensus HR is: “Rome was not built in a day”. Our HR services enable us to support our clients on a continual basis to continually improve whilst having a return on investment.

Avoid the cost and stress of an employment tribunal! Talk to the team at Consensus HR. Let’s explore your HR practices and avoid any people-based problems. Should you be involved with an employment tribunal, we can help you prepare for and navigate the process involved.

Contact us now

What could an Employment Tribunal cost your business? Avoid the stress and cost with Consensus HR. Professional outsourced HR services. Call us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Therapy sessions start for long-term sick | Consensus HR – Herts

07 07 2023

Almost 1 in 3 UK women expect to stop working before retirement age.

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Recruitment, Redundancy #retirement age, #women, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's

Almost one in three UK women expect to stop working before retirement age.

Almost one in three female workers in Britain expect to stop working before reaching their retirement age, according to a survey published by the British Standards Institution (BSI). The poll found that 29% of women expected to leave the workforce before retirement, with 42% citing health or well-being concerns and a fifth mentioning the menopause. Caring responsibilities and a lack of work flexibility were also mentioned as barriers to work. Anne Hayes, the BSI’s Director of Sectors, emphasised the need for strategies to address these issues, including support for menopausal workers and flexible working arrangements. The survey highlights the challenge of increasing the number of people in work in the UK, particularly among women aged 50 to 64. The BSI did not survey men to compare their reasons for leaving the labour market. Over half of the women surveyed found it difficult to raise menopause-related issues with their employers, and three-fifths felt uncomfortable discussing health and well-being with male managers.

Reuters

Our Comment: – Almost one in three UK women expect to stop working before retirement age.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a very interesting article in Reuters and based on a recent survey carried out by the BSI and highlights the importance of employers ensuring that the health and welfare of their teams is of the utmost importance for the continual success of the business. This article is based on statistics for women, but the majority of points raised are relevant to all with the ever-changing employee market and retention of employees.”

If you wish to look at your current recruitment and retention strategy for your company, please give us a call or email now.

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If you would like support with your Recruitment and retention call us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

04 07 2023

Council defends four-day week trial.

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General #fourdayweek, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Cllr Bridget Smith, the leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, has responded to a formal request from local government minister Lee Rowley for the authority to end a four-day working week trial. Cllr Smith said she had been “surprised” by the letter, and has requested a meeting with ministers to “discuss the matter,” pointing to “strong independently assessed evidence” showing that the pilot, in which the council’s desk-based staff have trialled a four-day week since January, had seen performance “maintained, and in some cases improved, in the first three months,” while cutting spending on agency staff and helping fill a number of previously “impossible to fill” vacancies in areas like planning. But Mr Rowley said such a model is inappropriate for local authorities. In a letter to the council, he argued that “councils are expected to ensure that finite and valuable taxpayers’ money is used in a way which demonstrates value for money – something which paying employees for an extra day of work that is not carried out is unlikely to demonstrate.” The minister noted that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities will “shortly be issuing clear guidance” on the matter.

Sky News

BBC News

The Guardian

Our Comment: – Council defends four-day week trial.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, Owner of Consensus HR comments: – “The Four day working week! what are your views on it? This is a very interesting article in the news about a local Council trying this out and must admit, I do not see the problem as long as long as they ensure all the services they are required to provide are provided and to an exemplary standard but understand it is a major change to the culture of Government and public services. Times seem to be changing since the Pandemic and what employees are now seeking when looking for employment as we have written many times before in our blogs which can be seen below. Is your business looking to change to a four day week?”

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If you would like to know more about a four day week and what it would involve from a HR / Legal perspective, call us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

03 07 2023

Employee, Worker or Self-Employed … What’s the Difference

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Recruitment #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #selfemployed, Business, Business Owners, Employee, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, Worker

Ultimately, whether you are an employee, a worker or self-employed, you get paid for your work. With the same result involved, does it really matter which status you have? Yes. Unequivocally, yes!

Your employment category has a huge impact on your rights and your expectations of the business you work for. For employers, there is more legislation and associated cost involved with hiring employees and workers compared with self-employed contractors.

In recent years, there have been high-profile cases regarding employment status, notably Uber, Addison Lee and Pimlico Plumbers. All attempted to justify why they worked with self-employed people in their businesses and not employees. Each of their cases were heard at separate Employment Tribunals and generated the same decision … the people involved were classified as employed workers.

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott – MD of Consensus HR states “This is an area that has been a nightmare for business owners for an extremely long time. Many employers believe it is more tax efficient and easier to manage if you make everyone self-employed and just pay their invoices. But is this really the case? Is it really that simple? For too long the employment status of team members has not been fully addressed. The Government, Employment Tribunals & the individuals involved are fighting back.”

What is the difference?

Here’s a handy comparison to help determine whether someone working within your business is officially classed as a worker, employed or self-employed.

EMPLOYEE:

An employee is someone who works under an employment contract.

Employment rights

All employees are workers, but an employee has extra employment rights and responsibilities that don’t apply to workers who aren’t employees.

These rights include all the rights workers have (see below) plus:

statutory sick pay,
statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave and pay (workers only get pay, not leave),
minimum notice periods if their employment will be ending, for example if an employer is dismissing them,
protection against unfair dismissal,
the right to request flexible working,
time off for emergencies, and
Statutory Redundancy Pay.

Some of these rights require a minimum length of continuous employment before an employee qualifies for them. An employment contract may state how long this qualification period is.

WORKER:

A person is generally classed as a ‘worker’ if:

they have a contractor other arrangement to do work or services personally for a reward (this doesn’t have to be written),
their reward is for money or a benefit in kind, for example the promise of a contract or future work,
they only have a limited right to send someone else to do the work (subcontract),
they must turn up for work even if they don’t want to,
their employer must have work for them to do for as long as the contract or arrangement lasts, and
they aren’t doing the work as part of their own limited company in an arrangement where the ‘employer’ is actually a customer or client.

Worker Employment rights

Workers are entitled to certain employment rights, including:

getting the National Minimum Wage,
protection against unlawful deductions from wages,
the statutory minimum level of paid holiday,
the statutory minimum length of rest breaks,
to not work more than 48 hours on average per weekor to opt out of this right if they choose,
protection against unlawful discrimination,
protection for ‘whistleblowing’(reporting wrongdoing in the workplace), and
to not be treated less favourably if they work part-time.

They may also be entitled to:

SELF-EMPLOYED:

A person is self-employed if they run their business for themselves and take responsibility for its success or failure.

Self-employed workers aren’t paid through PAYE, and they don’t have the employment rights and responsibilities of employees.

Someone can be both employed and self-employed at the same time. For example, they may work for an employer during the day and run their own business in the evenings.

Self-Employed Employment Rights

Employment Law doesn’t cover self-employed people in most cases as they do not have an employer.

However, if a person is self-employed:

they still have protection for their health and safety and, in some cases, protection against discrimination, and
their rights and responsibilities are set out by the terms of the contract they have with their client.

Are you unsure of the employment status of people working within your business?

Is your business complying with employment law?

Do you find this area of Employment Law confusing?

Let’s demystify the situation!

Talk to the friendly experts at Consensus HR. Employment Law is a professional specialism of ours. We can talk through your circumstances without obligation … or jargon!

Call us on 01438 576750 or alternatively complete our ‘Contact’ form. Let’s talk!

Contact us now

Are you unsure of the employment status of people working within your business? Is your business complying with employment law? Do you find this area of Employment Law confusing? Talk to the friendly experts at Consensus HR. Employment Law is a professional specialism of ours. We can talk through your circumstances without obligation … or jargon! Call us on 01438 576750 or alternatively complete our ‘Contact’ form. Let’s talk!

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

28 06 2023

How to Manage Long-Term Sickness

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General #longtermsick, #LTS, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Inevitably, employees need to take sick leave. Sometimes, this involves long-term sickness absence.

An estimated 185.6 million working days were lost because of sickness or injury in 2022. This level is a record high. In addition, the sickness absence rate for those with long-term health conditions increased to its highest point since 2008.

These sobering statistics emphasize the importance of effective management of long-term sickness. Fair treatment of employees taking long-term sick leave is important to:

protect staff morale,
maintain productivity, and
avoid discrimination claims.

Common Long-term Sickness Issues Working with several employers, the Consensus HR team is often asked about managing long-term sickness absence. Examples of common queries are:

An employee is signed off work as sick but social media shows they are on holiday and enjoying leisure activities. What should I do?

There is no legal requirement that an employee off sick must stay at home. Action would be informed by the reason for their sickness absence. In many cases – especially stress-related ones – it might be medically advisable for them to undertake some stress-relieving leisure activities. However, it would amount to misconduct or gross misconduct for an employee to take sick leave dishonestly when not genuinely unfit for work.

What happens to holiday entitlement when a staff member is on long-term sickness absence?

Employees on long-term sick leave can carry over 4 weeks’ unused holiday entitlement unless the employer allows more to be carried over. This holiday must be used within 18 months from the date it’s carried over.

What happens if an employee refuses to cooperate with occupational health or consent to a medical report?

When an employee’s health could affect their job or be affected by the work they do, their employer can ask them if they’ll agree to an assessment with an occupational health adviser. The employee does not have to agree to an occupational health assessment.

The occupational health adviser’s report can help the employer understand what their employee needs to:

feel better,
return to work,
do their job, and
avoid anything that could cause further health or absence issues.

The employee should be advised that the employer’s decision will be taken on the facts available and could result in their dismissal, potentially on the grounds of ‘incapacity’.

How do you deal with conflicting medical opinions about a long-term sick member of staff?

If two medical reports conflict the failure to investigate further (perhaps by way of a third report) could render a dismissal unfair, particularly where there is a substantial difference of medical opinion. One alternative is to ask the doctor (such as a GP) who provided the first report to review his report considering the opinion of the second doctor (which may be, for example, a consultant).

What help is there for small businesses that don’t have an occupational health service?

Smaller organisations might not have an occupational health policy or scheme. In this case, the employer should take the advice of both the employee and the employee’s doctor.

Can I dismiss an employee if they are still in receipt of company sick pay?

Termination of employment is possible for an employee on sick leave. The fact a dismissal takes place while the employee is still in receipt of company sick pay will not automatically make the dismissal unfair. However, this does not mean that it will be fair to dismiss once they have exhausted their sick pay entitlement. The key factor is the impact of their absence on the business and weighing this up against their rights to be treated fairly.

Are you concerned about managing long-term sickness absence in your business?

Contact the experts at Consensus HR. Let’s have an informal discussion about absence management without obligation. We’re here to help … to prevent people problems.

Contact us now

If you need support with your team’s HR and sickness is causing your business stress, call or email us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

12 06 2023

Summer employment issues: a six-point checklist

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #holidays, #outsourcedhumanresources, #summerholidays, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Warmer days are here and holidays are on the horizon… now is the time to start thinking about those common employment issues that coincide with the onset of summer. Laura Merrylees of Personnel Today sets out a checklist of six common issues.

Summer employment issues:

Competing summer holiday requests

Under the Working Time Regulations 1998, employers are not obliged to agree to a worker’s request to take holiday at a particular time, unless the employment contract provides otherwise.

If competing requests for holiday are received from different workers, managers may prioritise requests. However they should do this in a way that is fair and consistent, for example on a first-come, first-served basis.

To avoid the short periods of notice for requests and refusals, it makes sense for an employer to have its own holiday policy. It can then set out and communicate its own notice provisions and other arrangements relating to holiday

Un-authorised time off

If a holiday request is refused but the worker goes ahead and takes the time off anyway, it’s important not to jump to conclusions.

An employer should carry out an investigation to establish whether or not the absence was for genuine reasons.

If, however, there is no credible explanation from the worker, it may become a disciplinary issue. The employer’s disciplinary process will need to be followed.

Late return from summer holiday

Issues may also arise in the case of a worker who returns late from his or her summer holiday. In the first instance, an employer should allow the employee the opportunity to provide an explanation.

Supporting evidence, for example a medical certificate in the case of ill health, may be sought.

However, if the explanation does not appear genuine, the employer will need to consider following its disciplinary policy.

Summer dress codes

It may be reasonable for employers to adopt a more relaxed dress code during the summer months. The extent to which an employee may be allowed to dress down when the temperature rises will in part depend on the role he or she performs.

In the case of customer-facing roles, certain standards of presentation may need to be maintained. Equally, for health and safety reasons, it may be necessary for employees to continue to wear protective clothing irrespective of summer heat.

One way or the other, organisations should ensure that the dress code is reasonable. It should be:

Appropriate to the needs of the particular business
Non-discriminatory between groups of employees

Maximum office temperatures

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 state that the temperature in the workplace needs to be “reasonable”. However, there is no maximum temperature.

What is reasonable will depend on the nature of the workplace and the work being carried out by employees. Factors such as whether or not the work is strenuous or physical will need to be taken into account

Summer work experience

The school summer holidays are typically a time when employers offer school-age children the opportunity to carry out work experience. An employer does not have to pay a child of compulsory school age while on work experience.

However, all other rules and restrictions on employing young people will apply, and relevant approvals from the local authority or school governing body will need to be obtained.

Matthew from Consensus HR states “Summer should be a time of relaxation and fun for the team- but employees must remember that the company they work for still needs to operate correctly. Ultimately it is the employer that pays the wages. Time wasted by having to deal with avoidable issues could have been used for the benefit of the business & team in other ways.”

If your business suffers in the summer due to the issues raised in this blog, let us know.

Call Matthew at Consensus HR and see how they can help your business manage common summer employment issues.

Contact us now

If you need support with your team this summer, then we are her to help.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

08 06 2023

May saw 4 new laws be given Royal Assent

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General #employmentlaw, #outsourcedhumanresources, #royalassent, Business, Business Owners, employment law, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

30 May 2023

A recent news article from our Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development has commented that May 2023 saw four new laws be given Royal Assent, the final stage in the process to make a law. Whilst there will still be time until these laws will be given an implementation date (the date form which they will be effective), all four of these new laws represent a significant change in employee rights and impose new duties on employers that they much now get to grips with the.

The new laws are as follows:

Carer’s leave – “Carer’s Leave Act 2023”

This Act give employees with caring responsibilities the legal right to take five days off each year to carry out those responsibilities for someone who is old, has a disability or an illness/injury lasting more than 3 months. The days will be unpaid and can be taken in full days or half days.

This is likely to be implemented in April 2024.

Neonatal leave – “Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023”.

This Act gives parents of babies who need to go in hospital, for at least seven consecutive days and in the first 28 days of their life for neonatal care, extra time added to their maternity, paternity, and shared parental leave.

This will have the effect that for every week the baby spends in hospital, the parents will get an extra week added onto their leave, up to maximum extra 12 weeks. Due to the complex nature of shared parental leave, it remains to be seen how this will apply to that particular type of family friendly leave.

This is likely to be implemented in October 2024, as HMRC and employers will need time to adjust their payroll systems in order to accommodate a new type of statutory pay.

Protection from redundancy for new parents – “Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023”

This Act will require employers to offer pregnant employees, and those who have come back from maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave until 18 months after the birth/adoption, a suitable alternative vacancy during a redundancy exercise. Currently in place for the duration of maternity leave, this is a significant extension of this right.

The Act also creates new rights of unfair dismissal and discrimination if these employees are not favoured above all others in the redundancy exercise.

This is likely to be implemented in April 2024, or sooner.

Tips – “Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023”

This Act imposes a new duty on employers to pass over any tips/gratuities/service charges to workers. Employers will also be legally required to have a policy that says how they allocate tips, and this should be in line with a statutory code of practice (yet to be created), and

keep records on how tips are allocated. Workers will have the right to see the records employers keep on these and make a claim to tribunal should they believe that tips are not being allocated fairly by their employer. Employers will face a

maximum £5000 compensation for doing it wrong.

This is likely to be implemented in April 2024.

Contact us now

If your company wants to always ensure it is on top of ever changing employment law, contact us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

05 06 2023

How Professional Services Add Value

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Handbook #HR Herts, #HRAdvice, #HRblog, #hrconsultant, #HRSupport, #professionalservices, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's

It’s understandable that business owners want to cut costs. However, this can often lead to poor advice, a low level of customer service and, potentially, higher costs than the ones initially avoided.

It’s fair to assume that price generally equals quality. You get what you pay for!

Sadly, people often take advice from friends or relatives – or Google – rather than consult a professional consultant/tradesperson, purely to avoid costs.

Whether you need legal, human resources, marketing or trades advice, here’s why it’s best to work with a professional rather than take your friend’s advice:

7 Reasons to hire professional services

1. Professional qualification/licence.

Your contractor/consultant should be professionally qualified or trained. Ask them about their training and experience – they should be proud to tell you about it.

2. Relevant experience.

Too often, cutting corners involves taking advice from someone who does not have the knowledge to adapt their understanding to your specific requirement. A professional can adapt their skills to suit the needs of your business.

3. Insurance.

You are protected by professional insurance should something go wrong, or mistakes made. You should check that the person you are hiring has the right insurances in place before starting to work with them.

4. Speed.

A professional contractor/consultant generally completes work faster, as well as to a better standard, than someone who is not fully trained.

5. Flexibility.

Professionals can adapt to your situation and/or changing circumstances as jobs progress.

6. Peace of mind.

The reassurance to be gained by working with someone who demonstrates professional knowledge and offers practical advice is invaluable.

7. Transparent costs.

A credible professional should offer a clear quote. Too often, people are tempted by the ‘no win, no fee’ approach. This can include hidden administration and commission costs amounting to more than the cost of hiring a professional in the first instance.

“By not seeking professional advice, you risk incurring greater costs in the long run,” says Matthew Pinto-Chilcott of Consensus HR. “One of our clients risked incurring penalties of almost £50,000 by not engaging relevant legal expertise when a former employee threatened them with Employment Tribunal (ET) proceedings. The fee involved with using our professional Employment Law service was far lower than their potential ET financial penalties.

“It’s a shame that some people don’t value the training and expertise of professionals until something goes wrong. As well as qualifying within their relevant specialist fields, many consultants must demonstrate continuing professional development to retain their qualification. This means their knowledge and skills are always up to date.”

Matthew adds: “When you pay for a professional, you are paying for years of training and expertise, plus the reassurance of their experience and insurance. Long term, it’s quicker, cheaper and much higher quality.”

Would you like to explore how professional human resources support can help your business?

Talk to the friendly team at Consensus HR. Enjoy a free initial consultation with no pressure or jargon. Oh – and be reassured … our HR team is professionally trained and qualified!

Contact us now

If you need professional Chartered HR advice contact us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

02 06 2023

£25,000 – Man with cerebral palsy wins discrimination case

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General #disability, #disabilityinworkplace, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

£25,000 – Man with cerebral palsy wins discrimination case against Home Bargains, his former employer. Ryan Walker, who worked as a sales assistant at the company’s Armagh shop, took the case after his duties were changed. He had informed the firm that he needed to be physically active to manage his disability but was later moved from stacking shelves to working on tills. Home Bargains settled the case without admitting liability. Mr Walker said his experience had been awful and he had gone from “enjoying a job for three years to dreading going into work.” Mary Kitson from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland said: “No employee with a disability should feel that their needs are not understood or valued by their employer.”

BBC News

Our comments: – Man with cerebral palsy wins discrimination case against Home Bargains

Matthew Pinto-Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting case that occurred in Northern Ireland which currently does not use the Equality Act 2010 but their own version which is very similar to ours and can be found by clicking here. Companies need to ensure that if informed of a disability they need to obtain professional medical advice to ascertain if any reasonable adjustments are needed as was the case in this scenario. In this situation, the business obviously needed more cashiers but had not fully thought through the consequences and needs of the member of the team involved due to their disability. If you are ever unsure of what action to take to ensure you are working to best practice and law, we advise that you talk to a Chartered HR professional and avoid this kind of scenario in your workplace where somebody dreads coming to work and an award of £25,000.

Contact us now

If you need professional HR, Employment Law advice, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

30 05 2023

Young people shun trade unions

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #tradeunions, #youngpeople, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

Trade union membership rates among young people have reached a record low. Department for Business data shows that just 4% of employees aged 16 to 24 were in a union last year. This is down from 7% in 1995. For workers aged 25 to 34, the rate dropped five percentage points to 21%. A Trades Union Congress spokesman said: “Young workers tend to disproportionately feature in sectors and jobs which have traditionally been more difficult to organise, such as hospitality, accommodation and food, as well as be in low-paid, insecure work.” Manuela Galetto, associate professor of employment relations at Warwick Business School, said: “The decline reflects a steady increase in non-unionised occupations linked to the growth of e-commerce,” while also noting “an increase in the number of careers where there is a high concentration of precarious and short-term contracts, notoriously less likely to unionise.”

The Times

Our Comment: “Young people shun trade unions –

Matthew Pinto- Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments:” Whatever your views on Trade Unions, I personally do have to say that they have a purpose if the relationship is good between both parties, which only comes from working together for the benefit of the business and the team. I have experienced within my career the pros and cons of having one and where it has worked extremely well and where it has not. I have also worked within industries where there are no unions such as Hospitality and Retail but where is some instances a Colleague Consultative Committee is formed to allow representatives from each of the departments to attend on behalf of their colleagues and express their points.

Whether it is a Trade Union, Colleague Consultative Meeting or any other form it is vital that business owners listen to their teams whilst giving them the opportunity to have their say on changes within the business. This helps to ensure the team feel involved and a key part of the success of the business and how their input can help to increase revenue, retention and profit.”

If you wish to know how to set up a Colleague Consultative Meeting with the team or what Trade Unions involve, give us a call now.

Contact us now

If you wish to discuss how to get input from your team and consult with them whether it be through a trade union or consultative committee meeting, give us a call today.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

29 05 2023

Pensions: A Hugely Valuable Employee Benefit

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Payrol, Rewards & Benefits #employeebenefits, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, Business Owners, Employee Wellbeing, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's

All employers must provide a pension scheme to their employees. A range of schemes is available, and employees can opt out if they wish. However companies should encourage their team to sign up for a pension, explaining the benefits of planning for the future.

Research confirms that 77% of employees value a company funded retirement scheme. HR Magazine quotes the 2022 survey results, stating the most valued work perks as:

79% Overtime
77% Flexible working hours
77% Company-funded retirement plan
65% Early finish Fridays
64% Four day working week

Matthew from Consensus HR explains: “We have found that monetary benefits tend to be short lived as employees tend to forget about them once they have spent them! However a pension is a benefit that, if set up correctly, benefits the employee when they retire as well as gaining maximum tax benefits.

“We work with our clients to identify suitable benefits for their teams in addition to their Pension and have found them to be very beneficial with clients finding their teams motivation improving and sales increasing.”

Steve Herbert, wellbeing and benefits director at Partners& told HR Magazine:

“UK employers should take note of this trend. Meeting candidate and employee expectations takes on a new importance.

“Employers need to attract and retain the very best talent while also maximising the productivity of each and every one. Employers will only be able to achieve this if their wider employment offering matches the expectations of workers.”

Further Analysis of Pension Incentives

A new poll by HR and payroll software provider Ciphr splits the benefit preference by employees’ age and gender: “When it comes to employee benefits, every individual’s requirements and priorities differ, of course. And the order of importance varies depending on who is being asked.

“For workers over 45 years old, for example, getting their pension contributions matched (to help them build a bigger pension pot faster) appears to be more beneficial than being able to work flexible hours (59% vs 45%).

“For those under 45 years old, who are further away from retirement, it’s the opposite – with more people in this age group ranking flexible working hours higher than pension contribution matching (57% vs 42%).”

Findings show that 49% of women value pension contribution matching compared with 41% of men.

The company asked employers to rank the importance of employee benefits with fascinating results. They placed pension contribution matching in joint last place, compared with the third place achieved via employees’ scores.

Matt Russell, chief commercial officer at Ciphr, said: “It is surprising to see such a disconnect between the benefits that employees value and what employers think – especially given how important good rewards and benefits packages are to attracting and retaining top talent and for supporting a great employee experience.”

If you want to attract and retain employees, growing your reputation as an employer of choice, it’s important to incentivise and reward your employees. To get the balance right whilst remaining compliant with employment and tax laws, talk to the friendly team at Consensus HR. Employment law is a specialist focus of ours. Let’s arrange an informal, initial discussion without obligation. Discover how to optimise your employees’ performance.

Contact us now

If you need support with your companies HR, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

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