Employment Law
The End of the Two-Year Rule?
The Labour Party has committed to scrap qualifying periods for unfair dismissal claims if it wins the election. But has the two-year ‘safe period’ already gone?
It’s been a busy couple of weeks, with running our two Spring client seminars on top of all the usual business. They were both really well attended, we’re always impressed by how far some clients travel. We were extremely pleased that Gill Williams was able to join us in Swindon – her direct experience of Employment Tribunals is invaluable. She also discussed a case she’s currently involved in, of a company which had, unwittingly, employed an illegal worker. They had checked documents etc, but not followed the rules to the letter and now face a £10,000 fine from the Home Office. Gill gave some brilliant advice about what documents you need to see and what to record, and pointed out it applies to everyone you employ (or use as a locum).
After being scared by Gill, we spent the rest of the session discussing managing and reducing staff absence. We worked through some of the really tricky situations, such as employees on long-term sick and the difficulties when, for example, someone with unresolved mental health issues wants to come back to work, as they can’t afford the loss of earnings any more. There are no easy answers to these scenarios: balancing employee rights, possible discrimination, health and safety, and your business needs – you really do need specialist help to manage them.
As ever, the exchange of ideas, and learning about other people’s problems and solutions was a big part of the meetings. Things were rounded off by great lunches and guided tours of Willows & Eastcott Vets for those who were interested.
The feedback has been great!
- “I really enjoyed it and got a great deal from it – including increasing my confidence in HR and how to deal with things.”
- “Really great hearing about other people’s issues and how they tackle them”
- “Great meeting, I enjoyed it… well worth the effort!”
- “Looking forward to the next one”
- “The food was amazing!”
We put on our client seminars twice a year. They’re a great opportunity to update everyone and exchange ideas. It is also good for us to have direct, personal contact with our clients – we are a very ‘hands on’ business, and relationships are central to how we work.
