When an employee is off sick or unable to carry out their current duties, and they are disabled within the definition of The Equality Act, then employers are obliged to make reasonable adjustments which may include seeking to find them an amended or alternative role. This gets tricky when you have an alternative role, but…

We’re often asked about phased returns to work, and what this means for employees’ pay packets. Suzanne Pipe, Employment Lawyer at Vista gives us a run-through of whether employers need to pay employees in full, or just for the hours that they work when on a phased return. Check the Contract The first port of…

Managing an ill health situation where an employee says they are too ill to talk, or attend meetings requires a careful and considered approach from managers and HR teams. Suzanne Pipe, one of our experienced employment lawyers at Vista talks us through the right approach: Explain how important communication is, and why Keeping in touch…

Great quality employee feedback is one of the best thing’s managers can give to their teams. Well-structured, constructive guidance that the recipient can use to evolve what they do; and how they do it is vital for ongoing development, confidence and a thriving workforce. The problem is, we’re not so keen on giving it or…

During the grievance procedure we sometimes come across employees who are particularly determined. They continually raise the same issue, even after you thought you had dealt with it informally. Understandably problematic for HR teams and organisations, its useful to have a few tactics up your sleeve to close down these types of cases. We’ve advised…

The first rule of the grievance outcome letter: provide reasons for any findings, backed up by evidence. It is a common fear that putting too much in a grievance response could give the complainant an opportunity to pull the details apart. The actual danger is that if we don’t give reasons for our response at…

So, we know the importance of establishing the nature of the grievance and ensuring all of the issues are addressed. One way in which we can be confident we have responded to a grievance thoroughly and ensure the employee is satisfied it has been addressed, is by conducting a thorough grievance investigation. So, what does…

As employment law advisers, we are frequently asked about grievances and issues surrounding the grievance process, which put us to thinking: what is it about a grievance that fills us with dread, and why? We all know what we should do in an ideal world… Establish the nature of the grievance and the issues promptly…

Anyone who has experienced bereavement knows how difficult it can be, and how important support from family, friends and your employer can be. Most employers provide some form of leave at a time of loss, but there are wide variations in the amount of leave and whether the leave is paid or unpaid. Each loss…

When a member of your team goes off sick and the absence becomes prolonged, how to manage the sickness absence can seem unstructured for managers as there aren’t specific ‘trigger points’ to prompt (or justify) taking action. Also, often policies and procedures state that an employee can be absent from work for four weeks before…