If it’s becoming apparent that your employees’ duties, work locations or times when work is done need to change when they return to work after a period of furlough leave, how do you achieve it? The first step is to identify whether you have the right to make the change in the contract, so start…

Welcome to the April edition of Vista’s employment law update. This month we are continuing to bring you up to the minute guidance on the Coronavirus pandemic, and what it means for HR professionals and employers. For this month only, we have given you exclusive access to the entire update. If you’d like to receive…

Updated: 21st April 2020 The Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020 came into force on Friday 13th March 2020[1]. When do the Regulations apply? They provide that employees and workers who are self-isolating themselves from other people in such a manner as to prevent infection or contamination with coronavirus will be entitled to…

All employers are having to react to the challenges arising from the Coronavirus outbreak. For many, this means a switch to working from home for an extended period of time. Its unfamiliar territory for some, and can be especially tricky for managers with teams of people around them that they now need to manage remotely.…

Coronavirus is giving rise to a variety challenging employee relations issues. Whilst each case will need to be dealt with on its own merits, there are some common approaches that employers may wish to adopt as a framework to help make decisions when issues of a similar nature arise. We have put together a short…

All employers are having to react to the challenges arising from the Coronavirus outbreak. The welfare and protection of staff is paramount, coupled with the economic implications and consequent organisational changes. In particular, the advice around social distancing has resulted in many employers having to introduce measures for staff to work at home and stop…

We are being asked if the ability to access support via the Coronavirus Retention Scheme (furlough arrangements), or even just the urgency of the current situation overrides any collective consultation obligations. The answer is no. That said, you do not need to collectively consult if you simply agree any changes with employees directly. Where you…

In this extraordinarily challenging period, most employers are having to consider what changes they need to make to protect the business and to keep going (e.g. pay cuts; reduction in working hours; imposing lay-offs). Whilst such changes may need to be made as a matter of urgency to save the business, the law nonetheless requires…

Updated: 23rd March 2020 What if an employee triggers your Absence Management Policy as a result of being infected or self-isolating in accordance with government guidance? Fairness: Employers are under a duty to act reasonably in all the circumstances. Therefore, we foresee that an Employment Tribunal would take a dim view if an employee on…

Our team of employment lawyers are continuously collating helpful advice and guidance for HR professionals and employers in light of this fast moving Covid 19 pandemic. The current guidance documents available, free to download for all, are: Lay-offs and short time working Working from home Time off for dependents Absence management Statutory sick pay, including…