In a recent case, all the claimants were convicted or received cautions, for relatively minor offences and they were all ‘spent’. One of the offences was stealing a book worth 99 pence in 1999. However, their criminal records were disclosed when they applied for employment involving contact with children or vulnerable adults and the claimants […]
Tips For Dealing With A Workplace Bully
Workplace bullying is quite common in many types of jobs. Of course, you can ignore it and let the bully forget about you. However, if everything escalates, you need to take action. Find out more about some of the things you can do if you experience workplace bullying at your job. 1. Keep A Journal […]
Christmas Parties – are employers liable for the behaviour of others?
At this time of year when office Christmas drinks are happening here’s a quick reminder of the potential for employers to accrue liability. In Shelbourne v Cancer Research UK, the Claimant was physically lifted up, and dropped by a visiting scientist, when on the dance floor at the Christmas party at her workplace. She sustained […]
How To Create Fairness And Equality In The Workplace
So what does equality in the workplace mean? This is the equal and fair treatment of individuals regardless of their age, religion, sexual orientation, race, gender, disability or nationality. Everybody deserves to be given a chance with equal opportunities and pay. For legal advice concerning equality in the workplace, contact us. One of the most […]
What To Do If You Are Bullied At Work
Are you feeling bullied at work? It might be a fellow colleague or your supervisor but you need to take action immediately. Here are some of the things you can do if you are being bullied at work. 1. Try Speaking To The Bully Try speaking to the bully and explaining how their behaviour has […]
What to Do If You’re Made Redundant
If you have been made redundant then it’s only natural to be rather stressed and worried. Redundancy is a big deal, especially if you liked your old job. Change can be scary even when it’s planned, and an unexpected job loss can leave you struggling to pay your bills. For any legal questions surrounding redundancy, […]
Equal Pay – Am I Being Paid A Fair Wage?
Equal pay is receiving the same compensation or payment in the form of a salary or wages as another person employed in the same capacity fulfilling the same tasks or job description. Unfortunately, pay gaps still exist in various industries and companies although this is against the law, the average solicitor will continue to deal […]
The Worst Kind Of People To Work With
Unfortunately, you can’t choose who you work with, and that’s why you have to play your role in providing a conducive working environment for your co-workers. DPH Legal have dealt with many cases of conflict between coworkers, so if in need of some free advice, give us a call. It’s a general rule of thumb that […]
How to Stop Bullying at Work
Bullying in the workplace, among adults, is not uncommon. It is a reality that if not handled in the right manner can result in severe difficulties for every party involved. It is behaviour that can be demeaning, disrespectful, humiliating, threatening and intimidating. If you find yourself in a similar situation then contact DPH Legal for […]
Whistleblowing reform on its way
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has recommended an extensive overhaul of whistleblowing legislation, including the creation of a legal definition for the term ‘whistleblower’. The APPG set out 10 recommendations for change, which experts said would impose significant obligations on organisations of all types. Whistleblowing claims can be complicated to defend and if your organisation […]
Covert Recordings
When advising on employment matters, we often encounter situations where an employee has secretly recorded a meeting or event at the workplace that they wish to use as evidence. A recent case has been considered by the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) which has looked into the effect that the covert recordings could have on an […]
Take a break!
The Court of Appeal has brought some clarity in relation to whether compensatory rest breaks need to be an uninterrupted 20-minute period or can be made up of shorter breaks totalling 20 minutes or more. The judgment in Network Rail Infrastructure v Crawford [2019] EWCA Civ 269 confirms for employers within the exempt sectors, that […]
Exploring the Gender Pay Gap
The gender pay gap is the term used to describe the difference in income between men and women. There are two main ways that it is assessed. The unadjusted gender pay gap looks purely at the difference in income between women and men, regardless of their career choices, education, the hours they work, and whether […]
Mark Lafferty interviewed by BBC about enforcement of the Equality Act
Mark Lafferty talked to BBC Radio Berkshire about the enforcement of the Equality Act 2010. You can listen to the interview here: The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) has released a report on its year-long investigation of the enforcement of the 2010 Equality Act. The WEC said the current enforcement approach, which relies on individual […]
David Harris interviewed by BBC Radio about changes to Sick Pay
David Harris, Managing Partner at DPH Legal was interviewed by BBC Radio Berkshire to discuss the proposed changes to sick pay entitlement. You can listen to the interview here: Currently, employees must earn at least the equivalent of 14 hours on the minimum wage (at least £118 per week) to qualify for Statutory Sick Pay. […]
Traits of A Successful Health And Safety Manager
If you are considering becoming a health and safety manager, you will likely be interested to learn more about the health and safety laws and some of the different traits of an effective health and safety manager. Knowing what kind of traits you should possess can really make it easier to be a much more […]
The Importance of Health & Safety Legislation In The UK
Workplace safety is highly significant for all employers and staff members who desire a protected work environment. Health and safety are crucial factors for all industries to not only promote staff wellness but also as a moral responsibility to protect the employee. Nowadays, health and safety regulations are essential for the efficient operation of companies. […]
Health And Safety Courses
When you are looking to sign up for a health and safety course, you want to take steps toward finding the best option to consider. There are plenty of things that you will want to identify when you are shopping around for the best health and safety courses. Below, we will discuss a lot of […]
Working Continuously Without A Break – What Are The Laws?
The law states that an employer is required to provide a minimum of a 1 – 20-minute rest break to any employee who works for more than six hours a day. However, the employer is not required to pay for rest breaks. Need some clarity on the laws regarding employee breaks? Contact our employment law […]
Benefits Of A Four Day Work Week
A four-day work week is where the five working days schedule is compacted into a four-day module by adding two extra hours of compensation on each of the days. So, instead of working eight to nine hours a day, employees work ten to eleven hours a day for four days. It is worth noting that […]
Health And Safety Laws UK
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers, as far as is reasonably practicable, to ensure health and safety at the workplace. Under the act, employers are obliged to ensure that any potential work-related risks to health and safety are eliminated or controlled. Employers with more than five employees are required to draw […]
Qualities That Define A Successful HR Manager
If you were asked to list the qualities that define a successful HR manager, then the list would be long. Some of the things that would be listed include integrity, sympathetic attitude, leadership, patience, quick decision making, social, organised, and excellent communication skills, among others. Here is an overview of each quality that a successful […]
Should HR Managers Understand Employment Law?
More than often enough, most HR professionals didn’t specialise in the field of Employment Law. However, it is still a huge benefit that they have a working idea or more so be knowledgeable within this particular field. Our article goes further into the topic of whether human resource professionals should understand employment law or not. […]
The Qualifications An HR Manager Should Have
HR managers deal with staff recruitment, retention of key staff members, and disciplinary issues. As they are also involved with disciplinary issues, training and development programs, company policies related to staff members, and the regulation of holiday and sick leave, the team at DPH Legal believe they should have some basic employment law knowledge. HR […]
UK Sick Leave Entitlement
In the UK, there is no set limit on how many sick days an employee is entitled to every year. Rather, an employee can take as many sick days as are necessary for them to recover from an illness. However, there are certain rules, policies and procedures that will need to be followed. Consult us […]
What To Do When An Employee Is Off Sick Too Much
Do you have an employee who keeps taking time off of work and you don’t know what to do? Can you fire them? Should you fire them? Read on to learn more. Generally speaking, there are several things you can do when a worker is off sick too much. First, ask them what is going […]
Off Sick For Over 7 Days – What You Need To Do
If you are off work due to illness for a period of 7 consecutive days or more, there are certain procedures that must be followed according to the law and your employment contract with your employer. Read your employment contract carefully to ensure that you understand your obligations in terms of sick leave. Inform Your […]
How Many Sick Days Are Considered Legally Acceptable?
All employees are allowed to legally take sick days. However, you might wonder how many sick days are legally acceptable. While looking at this, you should also consider how proof needs to be provided for these sick days. As always, seek legal advice whenever needed from a trusted law firm. How Many Days Can You […]
What Is An Employment Tribunal?
Employment tribunals also called industrial courts in some countries are special employment courts that deal with work-related legal claims. The tribunal comprises more than three people, whereby one is the judge and two non-legal members are called lay members. Our legal team often represent clients on employment law matters. Initially, employment tribunals were set to […]
Can I Refuse To Use My Personal Phone For Work?
The Pervasiveness of Mobile Phones These days, most people have mobile phones. Their convenience, efficiency, and multifunctionality have made them indispensable in our daily lives. From personal tasks to professional communications, mobile phones support an array of functions. Employer’s Stance on Mobile Usage With that said, some employers have rules governing the use of these […]
How To Handle Arguments At Work
Even if you think of yourself as not ‘close’ with your coworkers, the fact is that you spend more hours with them per week than you do with your friends and loved ones. Due to this, sometimes things can go south and get engaged with brutal arguments, conflicts and fights with those you work next […]
Illegal Workers? How To Check Before You Hire
The number of illegal workers in the UK is a growing problem and employers can face unlimited fines for employing a person who has no legal right to work in the UK. It is therefore essential for employers to check and verify information provided by foreign workers to ensure their legal work status when looking […]
Roles and Responsibilities of a HR Manager
The HR department primarily handles all personnel responsibilities and training strategies of an organisation. All the training and development programs are done by the human resource department. If you’re an employer and your HR manager is unsure of legal issues concerning the workplace, it would be advisable to contact a solicitor who specialises in employment […]
Taxing times
From April 2020, changes to the ‘IR35’ regulation will impact employers who engage contractors through Personal Service Companies (PSCs). These changes will expose businesses engaging contractors to significant tax risks. At the moment, where a person provides services to a business through a PSC, income tax and national insurance contributions (NIC) are paid if that […]
Employment Tribunal Time Limits
The usual time limit for a Claimant to issue a tribunal claim for unfair dismissal or constructive dismissal is three months less than one day from the termination of employment. This was tested recently at the Employment Appeal Tribunal. Overview of Pora v Cape Industrial Services Ltd [2019] The decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal […]
Redundancy Protection for Women on Maternity Leave – BBC Interview
David Harris discusses redundancy protection for women on maternity leave on BBC Radio Berkshire. David Harris was interviewed by Andrew Peach of BBC Radio Berkshire this morning about a proposal being discussed in the House of Commons to extend redundancy protection for women who are pregnant or returning to work, as well as those on […]
Unpicking Unfair Dismissals Under TUPE
Introduction to TUPE Regulations and Unfair Dismissal TUPE regulations are complex and not to be taken lightly. The Court of Appeal has ruled that an employee who was dismissed on the very day of a TUPE transfer under the guise of a problematic working relationship was in fact automatically unfairly dismissed because of the transfer. […]
DPH Legal feature in Buckinghamshire Living Magazine
What is acceptable behaviour at work and when has someone crossed the line? This topic is frequently in the news, especially since the creation of the #metoo and #timesup campaigns, as well as a documentary by the BBC called “Is This Sexual Harassment?”. DPH Legal features in Buckinghamshire Living magazine to give advice about sexual […]
David Harris discusses Age Discrimination on BBC Radio Berkshire
David Harris was interviewed by Phil Kennedy of BBC Radio Berkshire about a recent case where Eileen Jolly, an 88-year-old employee, won her claim of age discrimination against The Royal Berkshire Hospital. You can listen to the interview here: Age discrimination happens when someone is unfairly treated or disadvantaged for reasons relating to their […]
Legal rights of employees with less than two years service
Generally, employees need to have worked for an employer for two years before they can bring a complaint of unfair dismissal. But there are certain exceptions where employees do not need any minimum period of service to bring a claim. If it can be established that the dismissal of an employee is for one of […]