by Emma | Jul 17, 2024 | Newsletter
I always recommend that employers should have contracts in place for their self-employed individuals.
Why?
So you can confirm their status for one (i.e not an employee!), but also it’s great practice so you know where you stand and they know where they stand – with regards to service levels, payment etc…
However, Labour plans to give self employed workers the right to a written statement, under their employment plans.
So why not get ahead of the change and get them in place now.
Give me a call for all types of contracts including self employed and service agreements.
by Emma | Jul 17, 2024 | Newsletter
Fingers crossed summer is on the way! The weather’s getting hotter and so maybe you…..
One of the many possible symptoms of menopause is hot sweats.
These maybe uncomfortable and embarrassing, especially when you are around other people or at work.
Hot flushes occur from a decrease in estrogen levels. In response to this your glands release a higher amount of other hormones that affect the brains thermostat, causing your body temperature to fluctuate. Plus during peri menopause women’s body temperatures rise in general causing us to feel warmer more often than we did.
As well as feeling suddenly very hot during the flush, you can often experience sweats, rapid heart beat, a light head (slight dizziness) and mild anxiety. Not the best combination of feelings!
If you are looking for an alternative way to manage your hot sweats, then have a read below:
There are quite a few different remedies for hot flushes that can help you naturally navigate this symptom of the menopause. With homeopathy it is about matching the remedy to the woman’s energy as homeopathy is an energy medicine which is non toxic, non addictive and has no side effects so is safe for all.
Two of the main remedies for hot flushes are Glonoinum and Belladonna.
For further information on alternative homeopathy treatments contact:
Michelle West
07968 292785
michellewestinfo@gmail.com
www.michellewest.co.uk
As well as the usual things you can do to help (reduce caffeine, wear loose clothes) another way to manage these hot sweats is by changing your self talk.
Things you can say to yourself:
“I am cooling down!”
“This will pass!”
“I am slowly getting colder!”
“It’s ok to get hot, because it will not last long!”
You may think that these are ridiculous things to tell yourself, but you will be surprised at the results – give it a whirl
So, as an employer what reasonable adjustments could you consider?
- Allow employees to control the temperature in their work area
- Provide personal desk fans
- Ensure that the air conditioning system is effective and maintained properly
- Have a relaxed dress code, to allow staff to dress comfortably
- Provide cool, quiet rest areas where employees can take a break if they feel overheated
- Offer remote work options to allow employees to manage their environment more effectively
- Implement flexible working hours so employees can work during cooler parts of the day or when they feel most comfortable
- Have access to water stations
- Have chairs made of breathable materials
- Have adjustable desks to enable staff to stand and sit, to help manage their comfort levels
- Regular breaks, to cool down and manage symptoms
- Allow flexible breaks
- Conduct awareness sessions for all staff to enable a supportive culture
- Training for managers
by Emma | Jul 1, 2024 | Newsletter
One of the topics I regularly get asked about is holiday/annual leave. As summer is in full swing now, let’s talk about the most important things you need to be aware of:
Entitlement
The working time regulations 1998, state that full time workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks paid holiday (28 days) per annum. This calculation can include bank holidays.
If a worker works part time then the whole of the 5.6 weeks (28 days) need to be pro rated to calculate their holiday entitlement. Many people mistakenly only pro rata the 20 days.
New starters and workers who are leaving the business will have their holidays adjusted accordingly too.
As a business you may choose to offer more paid annual leave as part of your benefits package, which is fine. Just communicate this to your staff in their contract/policy.
You will also need to commuicate what the annual leave year looks like – is it Jan-Dec or something different?
Sick leave/maternity/paternity/shared leave/adoption leave
Holiday entitlement still accrues while a worker is on one of the above leave types
If they do not use their whole annual leave entitlement due to being on one of these types of leave, then they have the automatic right to carry it over into the next annual leave year. This only applies to the 28 days leave.
Pay
What you pay a worker when they are on annual leave will depend on what type of contract they have and their hours of work.
If the worker has regular hours and fixed pay then they would get their normal pay.
If they work irregular hours or shift work then you calculate their pay by taking the average number of weekly fixed hours a worker has worked in the previous 52 weeks, at their average hourly rate.
If they work part-year working then you would take their average pay from the previous 52 weeks (only counting weeks in which they were paid).
Employers can use rolled-up holiday pay for irregular-hours and part-year workers.
Don’t forget that bonuses, commissions, overtime and expenses should all be paid while on annual leave – however, this is a topic all on its own. Any questions on this one, give me a bell.
Rolled up holiday
Rolled-up holiday pay is when an employer spreads holiday pay over the year, by adding an amount on top of someone’s normal pay. This is instead of paying someone for their holiday when they take it
It is calculated at 12.07% of a workers total pay in a pay period.
How much notice should a worker give me as an employer?
An employee is required to give notice that is twice as long as the holiday they want to take. However your policy can be more if you need it to be.
Can I tell my worker when to take holiday?
Yes, but you must give them notice. The notice must be at least twice as long as the holiday that you want them to take.
If the holiday is a regular occurrence, i.e you’re closed for the Christmas period, then add this to your contract of employment that they will be expected to take this period out of their annual entitlement as the business is closed.
by Emma | Jun 1, 2024 | Newsletter
In May we saw:
- An employee win a case at tribunal because their boss asked them to see a client as they liked “pretty women”
- A social worker awarded £58k because she was harassed over her gender critical beliefs
- A lecturer awarded £50k for unfair dismissal after he was dismissed because he left work early
To name a few
Whats coming up?
1) From 1st July, The Employment Rights Regulations 2023 bring in new rules permitting employers to consult directly with staff affected by TUPE, rather than electing representatives, this will apply to businesses with 50 or fewer employees or transfers involving 10 or less employees.
2) The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 is expected to come into force approximately one year after Royal Assent, which was given on 8th September 2023. The Act will give eligible workers and agency workers the right to request more predictable terms and conditions of work.
3) The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act is expected to come into force in October, introducing a new proactive duty for employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees. Tribunals will also have the power to uplift sexual harassment compensation by up to 25% where an employer is found to have breached this new duty
Don’t forget its Fathers Day on 17th June.
So let’s take a look at what fathers are entitled to:
Fathers have the right to Paternity leave and pay. Paternity rules changed in April so make sure you have updated your policies and understand the new legislation. Fathers can also share 50 weeks of leave with the mother under shared parental leave legislation.
Can fathers request flexible working? yes – flexible working legislation also changed in April and all employees can request flexible working from day one of employment.
If you need any updated policies give me a call.
by Emma | May 1, 2024 | Newsletter
Mental Health Awareness Week runs from 13 to 19 May 2024.
Every year, 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem, this means 1 in 4 of your employees may experience problems.
The campaign this year is Movement: Moving more for our mental health. Movement is important for our mental health. The campaign is all about helping us find moments for movement in our daily routines. Going for a walk, putting on your favourite music and dancing around the living room, chair exercises when you’re watching television – what will you do? Why don’t you have a think about how you can get your employees involved?
If you need any assistance with this topic, please let me know.
