The June edition of the HMRC Employer Bulletin contains updates to support employers and payroll agents through the Coronavirus pandemic, with the very latest information on the Job Retention Scheme and Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme.
30 June 2020
It’s important for employers to engage in early workforce planning to mitigate flexible working teething problems. When the Chancellor announced the extension of the furlough scheme at the beginning of May, it raised a number of questions regarding the implications for businesses.
29 June 2020
In Hoch v Thor Atkinson Steel Fabrications Limited, H is white, South African by nationality, and heterosexual. An ET upheld his harassment related to race and sexual orientation claims. On the race claim, the ET found it surprising in nature given that H is white, but he is South African by nationality, yet the comments made were undoubtedly related to race
29 June 2020
As lockdown restrictions start to ease and businesses begin to reopen, the ICO has set out the key steps organisations need to consider around the use of personal information. The six data protection steps for organisations addresses questions about the rules around organisations collecting additional personal information to provide a safe environment for their staff.
24 June 2020
Acas has updated its coronavirus guidance to cover best practice around how to handle returning to work. Covid19 has caused a lot of uncertainty in the workplace and Acas’s helpline has seen a record increase in calls from employers and employees wanting advice on how to handle changes to their work situation. Acas's advice is for employers and their staff to have early discussions about any plans to return to work and try to come to an agreement. These talks can take place with trade union or employee representatives and health and safety representatives, but all staff should be kept informed of plans and be able to feed into discussions.
23 June 2020
HMRC have updated five pieces of online Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) guidance for employers and published four new pieces of guidance as set out below. Employers are advised to read the ‘new’ guidance in full, with the starting point being the guidance in item (1) which sets out the changes to the CJRS. SM&B’s Employment and Business Immigration Team can provide any assistance required in interpreting and complying with this complex matrix of guiding principles.
22 June 2020
It’s no secret that workplace conflict can have a negative impact on an organisation and its employees. Whether it’s a grievance, disciplinary or bullying investigation the road to resolution can be time consuming and costly. In fact, the CBI estimates that it costs UK business around £33 billion per year and 370 million working days. The
19 June 2020
The TUC have asked for help to understand black and minority ethnic workers experiences at work during the coronavirus crisis. The TUC say that BME workers have reported being discriminated against in a number of ways - being singled out for more dangerous or difficult work, not getting access to adequate PPE, not being furloughed despite having health conditions, being targeted when hours or jobs are being cut and being racially abused by colleagues or customers.
18 June 2020
With returning to work in some sectors proving to be problematic, the Society of Occupational Medicine have launched two toolkits providing guidance for employers and health professionals so they can work together on facilitating a safe return to the workplace as the coronavirus lockdown measures are being lifted.
17 June 2020
In a redundancy situation, employers sometimes decide to conduct an interview process for the jobs that will be available, be they the same, or new jobs, rather than selecting individuals from a redundancy pool to be retained or who will be dismissed.
16 June 2020
