Law At Work Radio

Stephanie Robinson (Head of HR Consultancy East) & Kirstie Beattie (Senior Employment Solicitor) discuss the Me Too movement & Sexual Harassment, handling cases, reporting complaints & the EHRC guidance on how to prevent it in the workplace.

Douglas Cameron (Head of Safety Services) and Matt Ramsey (Health & Safety Manager) catch up and chat about how businesses have been moving forward in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Childcare, lockdown, furlough, working from home and now a new 'flexible furlough scheme'. There is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has created a 'new normal' and that new normal is manifesting itself in the employee and employer relationship.  With employees now proving to employers that working from home can work, and as technology advances their cause, it is anticipated that as lockdown measures are reduced we will see an increased number of flexible working requests. Samantha Mackie, solicitor in the LAW employment law team, gives an overview on the legislation that must be adhered to in managing flexible working requests and how to manage multiple requests correctly.  For further guidance, visit www.lawatwork.co.uk

How can employers manage employees concerns when they raise questions about their health and safety in the workplace?  As the nation returns to work, increasingly employers are fielding questions, complaints and anxieties from employees on their safety at work. Heather Maclean talks to Steph about the legislation that protects employees from unfair dismissal and describes in detail the legislation that affords these protections. She gives employers food for thought on tactics to consider in handling health and safety concerns and outlines the risks involved in not taking these concerns seriously, especially the financial penalties. For further guidance, employers can visit www.lawatwork.co.uk

How can employers navigate the inevitable conflict, stresses and strains at this difficult time?  Donna Gibb, Head of Client Service, Aberdeen talks to Steph about the potential for conflict in a remote and furloughed workforce during the COVID pandemic lockdown and beyond on the implications for conflict as restrictions ease. They explore the tools managers and employers can leverage to mitigate employment disputes and tension and feasible alternatives to formal resolution processes. For further guidance, employers can visit www.lawatwork.co.uk/coronavirus

How can employers safely restructure or make redundancies during this time of crisis? The pandemic and resulting UK shut down has meant that businesses are   now under immense financial pressure.  For some, the furlough scheme might only go so far.  Employers are now considering re-opening with a much reduced workforce. This is the fifth of five Coronavirus Redundancy specials with LAW Group Legal Director Donald MacKinnon.  Donald talks through what Collective Consultation involves, the time-frames and penalties for getting it wrong. Just over 20-minutes, an easy listen to give business owners and those responsible for redundancy exercises an overview of the key issues in any downsizing initiative post-lockdown. For further guidance, employers can visit www.lawatwork.co.uk/coronavirus

How can employers safely restructure or make redundancies during this time of crisis? The pandemic and resulting UK shut down has meant that businesses are   now under immense financial pressure.  For some, the furlough scheme might only go so far.  Employers are now considering re-opening with a   much reduced workforce. This is the fourth of five Coronavirus Redundancy specials with LAW  Group Legal Director Donald MacKinnon.  Bumping and Alternative vacancies is where a number of employers seek clarity, Steph explores with Donald what these terms really mean and what you need to be aware of in the redundancy process. Just over 15-minutes, an easy listen to give business owners and those responsible  for redundancy exercises an overview of the key issues in any  downsizing initiative post-lockdown. For further guidance, employers can visit www.lawatwork.co.uk/coronavirus

How can employers safely restructure or make redundancies during this time of crisis? The pandemic and resulting UK shut down has meant that businesses are   now under immense financial pressure.  For some, the furlough scheme might only go so far.  Employers are now considering re-opening with a   much reduced workforce. This is the third of five Coronavirus Redundancy specials with LAW Group Legal Director Donald MacKinnon.  In this episode, Steph and Donald talk about the selection process in a redundancy scenario, claims for unfair dismissal as a result and discrimination angles including disability, maternity and pregnancy. A 20-minute easy listen to give business owners and those responsible  for redundancy exercises an overview of the key issues in any downsizing initiative post-lockdown. For further guidance, employers can visit www.lawatwork.co.uk/coronavirus

How can employers safely restructure or make redundancies during this time of crisis? The pandemic and resulting UK shut down has meant that businesses are  now under immense financial pressure.  For some, the furlough scheme might only go so far.  Employers are now considering re-opening with a  much reduced workforce. This is the second of five Coronavirus Redundancy specials with LAW  Group Legal Director Donald MacKinnon.  Steph speaks frankly with Donald on the specifics of the individual consultation process. A 20-minute easy listen to give business owners and those responsible for redundancy exercises an overview of the key issues in any downsizing initiative post-lockdown. For further guidance, employers can visit www.lawatwork.co.uk/coronavirus

How can employers safely restructure or make redundancies during this time of crisis?  The pandemic and resulting UK shut down has meant that businesses are now under immense financial pressure.  For some, the furlough scheme might only go so far.  Employers are now considering re-opening with a much reduced workforce. This is the first of five Coronavirus Redundancy specials with LAW Group Legal Director Donald MacKinnon.  Steph speaks frankly with Donald on the practicalities that employers need to consider when making redundancies; the importance of the crucial business case; process best practice; and the pitfalls employers need to be wary of. A 20-minute easy listen to give business owners and those responsible for redundancy exercises an overview of the key issues in any large scale downsizing initiative post-lockdown. You can see our specific Coronavirus resources page here.

How can employers ensure their staff return to a safe work environment? Matthew Ramsey, Health & Safety Manager at LAW and ex-HSE inspector, joins Steph to discuss risk assessments for re-opening workplaces post COVID-19.  Matt offers some helpful nuggets on how to operate and manage the ongoing consideration for health & safety risk assessments in a closed down world, anti-bac sprays and - of course - touches on the hot topic of face masks. A 15-minute easy listen to give business owners and health & safety named persons an overview in these unprecedented times. 

How is the hospitality sector managing the coronavirus pandemic? Stephanie talks to HR Business Partner Rebecca Meek about how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting employers in the UK hospitality sector. A 15-minute easy listen to give business owners and health & safety named persons an overview in these unprecedented times.