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When do you ask for return of company property and disconnect from intranet access?

14th March 2011

On Friday I sat through a meeting where an employee went through half of a box of tissues, recounting the trauma of her removal from her employer’s premises in the context of a termination by way of a generous compromise agreement. At the start of a redundancy or disciplinary process, we are often asked to […]

Why aren’t there more women in the boardroom?

2nd March 2011

Last week, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills published Lord Mervyn Davies’ report on the lack of women on the boards of FTSE companies. It makes for interesting reading. According to research studies quoted in the report, EU companies showing most growth have a higher proportion of women on their senior management teams, yet […]

Dealing with stress at work in 12 practical steps

17th February 2011

  Stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them. According to the HSE, about 1 in 7 people say that they find their work either very or extremely stressful (Psychosocial working conditions in Britain in 20071). Depression and anxiety are the most common stress-related complaints […]

National Sickie Day

9th February 2011

Monday 7th February was National Sickie Day. I hadn’t heard of it either until last week, I was asked to comment on sickness issues by a journalist from the Daily Record. So what is National Sickie Day? It’s the day when employees across the country are most likely to take a day off instead of facing work. According […]

Why don’t my clients let me have my day in court?

4th February 2011

I was due to represent an individual client in a three day tribunal hearing on 16, 17 and 18th February. Once again, the case has settled shortly before the hearing, just as I was clearing my desk of other work in order to prepare for the case. Whilst we have a very successful track record […]

Consultation on resolving workplace disputes: Has the Government finally cracked it?

28th January 2011

The Government has published its consultation on reforming the employment tribunal system:  ‘Resolving workplace disputes’. Will it work? With rising unemployment, tribunal claims are on the increase. As a result, employers are spending more time and money resolving what can often feel like unmeritorious claims. With our economic recovery still in question and the recent […]

Dismissals after the abolition of the Default Retirement Age: Can you still retire your staff?

24th January 2011

We recently wrote about the abolition of the default retirement age (DRA) and warned about the fact that the last date to use the current system is 5th April 2011 with a termination date no later than 30th September 2011. With the recent publication of the ACAS guidance “Working without the default retirement age” we […]

Will the proposed “Employers Charter” make employers lives easier?

17th January 2011

The government proposes to launch consultation on what is being called a new “Employers Charter”. The proposals were discussed last week at a jobs summit at Downing Street, attended by a number major British employers. The proposals include a rise in the qualifying period for unfair dismissal from one year to two and a fee […]

Dealing with an employee suffering from paranoid delusions.

7th January 2011

In Martin v Devonshires Solicitors, the EAT has approved a tribunal decision to dismiss claims of unfair dismissal and victimisation brought by an employee who had been dismissed after lodging eight internal grievances. The grievances started from an allegation that two partners had made discriminatory comments against a secretary after they found out that she […]

Its a new year coming..

30th December 2010

With a new year just a few days away, we look back at the main trend for 2010 and look forward to what’s just around the corner. With the economic situation still feeling shaky, we have hopefully helped our clients to ensure that their businesses are in the best position to survive and thrive. However, […]