Transferring or training Avoiding a dismissal by transferring or training an employee can protect the employment relationship while addressing root causes. But both these options could misfire legally and operationally if you treat them as informal “fixes” rather than formal and binding changes. Transfer – issues to consider A transfer (to a different team, role,… [Read More]

The duty to collectively consult kicks in where 20 or more redundancies are proposed at one establishment within a 90-day period. The rules are laid out in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA). TULRCA requires at least 30 days’ consultation (or 45 days where 100 or more redundancies are proposed). Wider… [Read More]

From time to time, all HR professionals and managers will encounter a grievance that comes across as tactical, exaggerated or even completely made up. These situations are tricky: if you get it wrong and treat it dismissively, there could be serious repercussions. On the other hand if you overreact, you might unfairly penalise an employee… [Read More]

In Langton v Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue, an experienced firefighter was dismissed immediately after making a misogynistic comment. He said that a woman he rescued looked “haggard for her age.” The tribunal decided that the dismissal was unfair. How to carry out a fair dismissal When you dismiss someone for misconduct, you must follow a… [Read More]

Dress codes appear to be a routine HR issue, but handled incorrectly, they carry significant legal and reputational risk. Those who impose inflexible or poorly thought-out requirements can quickly find themselves facing discrimination claims, employee relations issues and wider reputational damage. Indirect Discrimination The start point is the Equality Act 2010. This protects employees from… [Read More]