Commentary and insights

All items: Contracts of employment

  • Changes to holiday entitlement and pay in 2024: What does HR need to know?

    Date:
    16 November 2023

    A number of changes to holiday entitlement and pay are due to come in next year, especially for workers with irregular hours and part-year workers. We look at what HR needs to know to be ready for the developments. 

  • Should we raise the minimum wage for workers on zero hours contracts?

    Date:
    8 November 2023

    The Workers (Predicable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 has now received Royal Assent. But will it fix the problem of zero hours contracts and precarious work? Probably not, says XpertHR consultant editor Darren Newman, who casts an eye over Labour's plans for a "New Deal" and points to a forgotten proposal with the potential to make a real difference.

  • Should employers pay for restrictive covenants?

    Date:
    8 July 2022

    In some countries, clauses that restrict employees from working for a competitor or setting up their own business after they leave are not enforceable unless the ex-employee is paid. But would this work in the UK? Justin T Tarka, employment lawyer at Ogletree Deakins, looks at the pros and cons.

  • Employment law changes 2022: Mid-year progress report for HR

    Date:
    1 July 2022

    As we reach the midpoint of 2022, HR professionals would be forgiven for losing track of all the live employment law proposals and what they mean for their organisation. To assist HR with planning for the rest of the year and beyond, we round up the major employment law changes in the pipeline as of mid-2022.

  • P&O Ferries scandal: Will a statutory "fire and rehire" code prevent a repeat?

    Date:
    10 May 2022

    The Government has said that it intends to publish a new statutory code of practice on "fire and rehire". Consultant editor Darren Newman asks whether the code would be sufficient to clamp down on unscrupulous employers that want to impose new terms and conditions on staff through dismissal and reengagement.

  • COVID-related employment cases: 10 key lessons for employers

    Date:
    19 November 2021

    Employment tribunals have been deciding coronavirus-related cases throughout 2021. We set out 10 key first-instance rulings related to the pandemic and highlight what lessons employers can learn from them.

  • Demotion during post-pandemic restructuring

    Date:
    24 July 2020

    Demoting employees as part of a restructuring programme may offer a more favourable alternative to redundancies, but employers need to beware of the ramifications of making such contractual changes and to ensure the process followed is lawful. Paida Dube, employment law solicitor at DavidsonMorris, explains.

  • Suspension in relation to safeguarding concerns should be used sparingly

    Date:
    28 March 2019

    Although a recent Court of Appeal decision concerning suspension in relation to safeguarding concerns provides an element of reassurance for employers, consultant editor Darren Newman explains why suspension should still be used only sparingly.

  • The suspension of teachers when allegations against them concern the safeguarding of children

    Date:
    22 January 2019

    With the Court of Appeal due to hear the appeal against the High Court decision in Agoreyo that the suspension of a teacher was a repudiatory breach of contract, consultant editor Darren Newman looks at the issue of suspension when it relates to safeguarding concerns.

About this category

Commentary and insights: HR and legal information and guidance relating to contracts of employment.