HOW WE HELP BUSINESSES
Covid Recovery
It’s no overstatement to say that the coronavirus pandemic presents huge challenges for employers. Our specialist lawyers can help HR teams manage the immediate, ongoing and future people issues arising out of the pandemic. We believe in the importance of working collaboratively, sharing expertise, and experience – this is integral to our ethos. Areas that we can advise on include:
- Placing employees on furlough and navigating the scheme.
- Instituting safe and effective homeworking and hybrid working arrangements.
- Managing COVID-related isolation, sickness absence and general employee wellbeing.
- Navigating the rules on business travel, quarantine and COVID testing.
- Meeting your duties to provide a safe and COVID-secure workplace.
- Managing remuneration issues including the impact of COVID on bonus awards and LTIPs.
- Dealing with employee misconduct, such as failure to comply with health and safety rules.
- Preparing policies on vaccination in the workplace.
- Responding to requests for permanent homeworking, including from vulnerable employees.
- Planning reorganisations, redundancy exercises and changes to terms and conditions.
To bring this to life, in recent months our lawyers have advised employers of different sizes and sectors on the following COVID-related matters:
- Advising on entry to and exit from the furlough scheme, including drafting bespoke furlough agreements.
- Acting on an unfair dismissal claim brought by a furloughed employee who alleged unfair selection for redundancy on the basis of their furloughed status.
- Devising a fair and lawful approach to vaccination of staff and return to the workplace.
- Advising on the relocation of a former employee and the rules on quarantine and testing upon their return to the UK.
- Addressing employee concerns about return to work where they have particular concerns e.g. disability or shielding relatives.
- Advising on a post-pandemic fully flexible working policy.
- Managing day-to-day HR issues such as misconduct and poor performance against the backdrop of COVID.
- Conducting internal hearings and Employment Tribunal hearings remotely.
How will the pandemic affect bonuses in financial services
Financial News, 8 February 2021
How Covid will change business travel
Ignites Europe, 19 January 2021
Pimlico Plumbers to introduce “no jab no job” work contracts
The Guardian, 14 January 2021
Bankers need to protect that bonus if put at risk of redundancy
Euromoney, 18 December 2020
Can companies force staff to get vaccinated?
Financial News, 18 December 2020
Could you be fired for having a cold?
Ignites Europe, 15 December 2020
Bonus questions loom following calls for caution
Global Capital, 9 December 2020
Redundancy pitfalls in a rapidly changing Covid workplace
ELA briefing, 1 November 2020
What to do if your bonus was cancelled due to coronavirus
Financial News, 5 October 2020
Living with the competition? You might have to tell your boss
Financial News, 15 May 2020
CALL WITH CONFIDENCE and we'll take care of it
If you need employment law advice and wish to speak to one of our specialist employment lawyers: