Expert Analysis

• 3 Employee Protection Issues To Watch In UK Gov't

  

  The recent U.K. harassment proposals, autism employment review and artificial intelligence white paper demonstrate that employee protection and well-being are high on the government's agenda, and could lead to changes in employers' support and hiring processes, say Catherine Shepherd and Kath Sadler-Smith at Osborne Clarke.

• Tips On Implementing Menopause Support Policies At Work

  

  1 in 10 women have left a job due to menopausal symptoms, highlighting that employers must find ways to support and retain affected employees, especially amid the growing drive to boost the numbers of older people in the workforce and oft-cited war for talent, say Ellie Gelder and Kelly Thomson at RPC.

• Changes In Employment That May Affect Sponsor Licenses

  

  With economic conditions prompting changes that expose businesses to additional immigration compliance risks, and the U.K. Home Office increasing its enforcement activities regarding employment, employers should be alert to the potential implications, say attorneys at Lewis Silkin.

• How The LDI Crisis May Lead To Pensions' Negligence Claims

  

  Following the liability-driven investment crisis and its impact on pension schemes, employers and trustees may now be considering if anyone is to blame for any losses arising, say Rachael Healey and Andrew Oberholzer at RPC.

• Immersive Tech And The Risks It Poses For Employers

  

  While augmented reality and virtual reality technologies can promote efficiency and cost savings, there is a risk of significant health implications for employees, and businesses should be aware of the legal and regulatory risks that need to be managed, say Olivia Sinfield and Dan Charie at Osborne Clarke.

• How SRA Workplace Culture Guidance May Help Legal Sector

  

  Whether or not the Solicitors Regulation Authority acts on its recently released guidance on toxic workplace environments in law firms and imposes harsh sanctions, it will hopefully encourage some positive top-down changes, and should give individuals confidence to demand acceptable behavior, says Georgina Calvert-Lee at Bellevue Law.

• Examining Quotas And Positive Discrimination In Employment

  

  The U.K. differs from most other European jurisdictions, where it is lawful to take positive action but not positive discrimination, but since current legislation requires the U.K. to keep up with EU levels of employment protection, the government may decide to amend national law to keep pace with the EU, say Ranjit Dhindsa and Richard Branson at Fieldfisher.

• The UK's Pursuit Of Simplified Holiday Leave Calculations

  

  The British government's recent proposed amendments to the Working Time Regulations, which simplify statutory holiday entitlement calculations for part-year workers, demonstrate an intent to mitigate the confusing implications of the U.K. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in Harpur Trust v. Brazel, but more clarity may be needed, say Josie Beal and Megan Simpkins at Birketts.

• 5 Things To Know Before An Internal Investigation In France

  

  The cadence of internal investigations is picking up in France, and the cultural expectations and legal constraints in these procedures are apt to surprise those from common law traditions, says Johanna Schwartz Miralles at Delcade.

• Danske Bank Deal Offers Corporate Compensation Warning

  

  The recent Danske Bank settlement opens doors for aggressive prosecution of fraud committed against U.S. banks that maintain correspondent relationships and instructs companies to implement compensation systems restricting executive bonuses in response to misconduct, say Michael Volkov and Alexander Cotoia at The Volkov Law Group.

• How Apprenticeships Are Transforming The Legal Sector

  

  As more legal employers recognize the benefits of creating apprenticeship opportunities, they are likely to grow in popularity, ensuring that the best and brightest minds are available to meet the challenges of an ever complex and changing legal environment, says Aisha Saeed at Addleshaw Goddard.

• Lacoste Flexible Working Ruling Acts As Alert To Employers

  

  In light of the U.K. Employment Appeal Tribunal decision in Glover v. Lacoste and the government’s commitment to make flexible working requests an employment right, employers are well advised to ensure that those handling the requests receive training on the process and the risk of indirect discrimination, says Amanda Steadman at BDBF.

• A Breakdown Of The SRA's Proposed New Fining Powers

  

  Thanks to the Solicitors Regulation Authority's pending new fining framework, which includes guidance on unsuitable fines and a fixed penalties scheme for low-level breaches, firms can expect to see more disciplinary findings leading to an SRA fine rather than referral to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, say Graham Reid and Shanice Holder at RPC.

• Problems With New UK 'Working Patterns' Bill Are Predictable

  

  While the worthy intentions of the new Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill are not in question, in not defining "predictable" it has a yawning vacuum at its heart, and given the enormous potential for claims something more specific is surely required, says David Whincup at Squire Patton.

• Court Of Appeal Charts Path For COVID Dismissal Claims

  

  The Court of Appeal's first COVID-19-related health and safety dismissal decision reassures employers that they can defend claims if they demonstrate they took steps to reduce the risk of infection, or any other type of workplace health and safety risk, in a clear and practical way, says Kathryn Clapp at Taylor Wessing.