First published on Thursday, Feb 15, 2024
Last updated on Thursday, Feb 15, 2024
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Welcome to HR Heartbeat, where we give you a rundown of the week's top employment law stories. Stay on the pulse of current trends impacting your business, plus get up-to-the-minute commentaries on all things HR and legal.
New rules for flexible working requests
The law around flexible working is changing in April. Business owners: Be prepared! On 6 April 2024, employees will no longer need to meet the 26-week service requirement to apply for flexible working.
A flexible working request can be a request from an employee to change their working days, work from home, or reduce their hours.
To protect your business and your people, it’s important to know your rights when it comes to flexible working requests. For example, the 8 statutory reasons for rejecting a request.
For more advice on this topic, ask BrightLightning: What should I discuss in a flexible working meeting?
The rise of ‘reply all’ quitting
An employee of a construction company recently revealed on TikTok that she quit her job by sending a company-wide email.
The employee in question reached her boiling point after receiving criticism for a small mistake from her boss with the whole company CC’d in.
When employee resignations turn sour it can be daunting for you and your company morale. Especially when emotions are high, and the employee quits publicly or under the watch of other employees.
You may be tempted to fight fire with fire, but it’s important to stay composed and check the facts. Firstly, ask yourself if the employee has followed the right procedures and raised issues with you in the past. Secondly, make sure their statements, if made publicly, aren’t libellous.
For more advice on this topic, ask BrightLightning:
- Can I accept a resignation with immediate effect?
- Can I stop an employee from posting about the business on social media after I have fired them?
Not today, Cupid! An employer’s guide to workplace relationships
While the prospect of blossoming love is usually something to celebrate, if sparks fly between your staff, it can be risky for you as an employer.
And even though Valentine’s Day is behind us, there are still some lessons employers should take forward.
New relationships at work can quickly become complicated and potentially inappropriate. Setting boundaries and ground rules for workplace relationships is advisable if you want to dodge harassment claims from employees or avoid losing your staff.
It can be even riskier if relationships form between managers and subordinates. This is especially true if the dynamics of their business relationship leads to questions of abuse of power, voluntary consent, and favouritism.
For expert advice you can trust in a flash, ask BrightLightning: Can I ban relationships in the workplace?
And that’s a wrap. Tune in next week for more headlines and make sure you stay ahead of major employment law changes!