Insightful blogs on employment law, immigration, and workplace HR matters. Stay informed, compliant, and create a thriving work environment.
A recent change in UK employment law has brought important updates about how employers must handle sexual harassment at work. Let’s break down what this means for you as an employer. What is the Preventative Duty? As an employer, you now have a clear legal duty to take steps to prevent sexual harassment in your […]
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Settlement agreements are fairly commonplace within the employment field; they’re a legally binding arrangement that waives an individual’s right to make a claim covered under the terms of the agreement to an Employment Tribunal or Court. But what can an employer do if an employee breaches the terms set out by their approved settlement agreement? […]
The employment tribunal has ruled in a recent case that the fear of catching Covid is not a philosophical belief for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 and therefore, is not afforded protection from discrimination. Background Facts An employee alleged that she had been discriminated against, when her employer did not pay her after […]
The UK has recently seen the highest number of new daily cases of Covid 19. As a result, many employers have seen an increase in the number of sickness absences due to COVID19. This factsheet answers some of the most frequently asked questions about sickness absence due to covid19 and pay. What is statutory sickness […]
On 30 November 2021, as a result of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, face coverings became mandatory once again in certain indoor settings and on public transport. On 8 December 2021, the Prime Minister announced that the full Plan B response would be activated, with face coverings required in more public venues from 10 December 2021, […]
A settlement (compromise) agreement is a legally binding agreement between a business and an employee under which the employee agrees to settle their potential claims and in return, the employer will agree to pay financial compensation. Sometimes the agreement will include other things of benefit to the employee, such as an agreed reference letter. Such […]
When does an employer’s liability end? An official and organised Christmas party is an extension of the workplace and the same rules apply. Even if the Christmas party is held away from the usual place of work, employers remain legally responsible for ensuring the event is safe and for minimising risks. For example, an employee […]
Whether or not payments made under a settlement agreement are taxable depends on to what the particular payment relates. A termination package in a settlement agreement will typically comprise various contractual and non-contractual elements, some of which may be liable to income tax and some of which may be tax-exempt. The tax position of termination […]
The autumn 2021 budget highlights changes in both employment and immigration sectors. We shall discuss these changes below. Employment While this budget did not include any significant changes to employment law, there are some key changes to note. National living wage The national living wage is the lowest hourly amount that an individual aged 23 […]
As a result of Brexit, the UK is free to put in place its own immigration system. Consequently, the government has introduced a number of new visa routes which shall be effective from 2022. The aims of the new system The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak has declared that he intends to make Britain the “best place […]
A Settlement Agreement (formerly known as a Compromise Agreement) is a legally binding agreement between you and your employer. This usually provides for a severance payment by the employer in return for your agreement not to pursue any claims in a Tribunal or a Court. At Davenport Solicitors, we are experts in helping both employers […]
