The Brightmine Podcast (UK)

Mark Crail, content director at XpertHR, takes us through the findings of our two most recent surveys exploring how HR is dealing with the challenges thrown up by the coronavirus pandemic.

Max Winthrop , partner and head of the employment law team at Short, Richardson and Forth LLP, answers your questions on the impact of the coronavirus on your workforce, including latest guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, annual leave, short-time working and emergency volunteer leave.

Jo Broadbent, counsel knowledge lawyer at Hogan Lovells, discusses the right to parental bereavement leave.

Darren Newman, employment lawyer, discusses the Government guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and furloughing workers. Darren takes you through the key features of the scheme and discusses tricky issues, including the process of selecting employees to be furloughed.

Catriona Aldridge, senior associate at law firm  CMS , outlines latest developments introduced as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic - including school closures and the Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and what these mean for employers.

Senior HR practice editor, Noelle Murphy, takes us through the latest findings from XpertHR's annual survey of HR roles and responsibilities. We discuss key metrics for the profession, including the ratio of HR practitioners to employees, budgets and priorities over the coming 12 months. We also discuss the impact of the coronavirus on planned priorities for the HR function.

Darren Newman joins us to discuss how employers can deal with the special circumstances created by the coronavirus (COVID-19), including the implications for statutory sick pay when an employee chooses to self-isolate and when the employer has to instruct an employee to self-isolate. 

Nick Chronias discusses the right to suspend employees pending a disciplinary investigation, including the issues to consider before, during and after a suspension.

Helen Rice-Birchall , principal associate in the human resources practice group at Eversheds Sutherland, joins us to outline the steps that employers need to take to fairly manage an employee experiencing symptoms of the menopause.

Emma O'Connor, senior associate at law firm Boyes Turner, discusses the legal and practical implications for employers of the recent employment tribunal case involving a philosophical belief in ethical veganism.

Which employment cases will have the biggest impact on HR in 2020? We assess the likely impact on employers of upcoming cases on: the national minimum wage, data protection, age discrimination, collective bargaining, and TUPE. The 2020 cases that we discuss pose the following questions: Are sleep-in care workers entitled to the national minimum wage while asleep? Can an employer be vicariously lia...

Catriona Aldridge, Senior Associate at law firm CMS, joins us to discuss the legal and practical issues that employers need to think about in relation to equal pay.

How far should employers go in meeting their obligations to make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers? What does the law mean by "provision, criterion or practice"? What factors should employers take into account when deciding what adjustments to make? Drawing on examples from case law, we discuss some key do's and don'ts when making reasonable adjustments. In particular, we discuss how the...

Should the same punishment be handed down to everyone when there are multiple culprits? Can an expired warning be taken into account? Can a disciplinary sanction be increased on appeal? We discuss some common dilemmas for employers when deciding on disciplinary penalties.

Kate Upcraft , payroll consultant and lecturer, joins us to discuss proposed reform of IR35 (intermediaries legislation) in the private sector that will have an impact on off-payroll working, and that is anticipated to take effect in April 2020. Kate explains what the new rules will mean for employers that engage consultants, and the practical steps that organisations will need to take to ensure c...

Nick Chronias , partner at DAC Beachcroft LLP, joins us to share his guidance on when you can take issue with an employee's use of social media, and the benefits of having a social media policy that reflects the needs and culture of your organisation.

Jo Broadbent, counsel knowledge lawyer at Hogan Lovells, joins us to discuss the legal and practical issues related to covert recordings at work. We consider the challenges employers are likely to face including the recording of disciplinary proceedings by employees, and dealing with evidence covertly obtained to support harassment allegations. We also discuss what employers should know before mak...

Senior HR practice editor Noelle Murphy discusses the trends in sickness absence and labour turnover rates - including rates among employees with less than 12 months' service - and considers what these changes mean for HR and the wider business.

Over two years on from the abolition of employment tribunal fees, we discuss the latest figures for tribunal claims and look at the impact on employers of severe delays in cases being heard.

Naomi Goldshtein, compliance manager at Fragomen, joins us to discuss what employers need to know about the right to work in the UK. This includes the key points often overlooked by employers when it comes to the prevention of illegal working in the UK, documentation required, and outlines the process that should be followed.

Naeema Choudry, partner at Eversheds Sutherland, joins us to discuss the EAT decision of  Kelly v Royal Mail Group  which highlights common issues and dilemmas associated with long-term poor attendance, including constructive knowledge of disability and the weight to attach to occupational health advice. We also discuss how a decision to dismiss for poor attendance may fall within the band of reas...

Handling difficult conversations is an essential skill for line managers but it doesn't come easily. Gary Bates and Sarah-Jane Georges, both account directors at behaviour change company Steps, discuss the best ways to develop line manager confidence and competence in having such conversations. This includes the key principles around having effective and productive conversations when the subject m...

Matthew Perry, a solicitor at Wedlake Bell, joins us to discuss the benefits of embedding effective whistleblowing arrangements in your organisation, and guides you through the steps to take should you receive a whistleblowing complaint.

Jo Broadbent, counsel knowledge lawyer at Hogan Lovells, joins us to discuss the legal and practical issues that employers need to think about when contemplating positive action.

Getting the right dress code in place for your organisation means not falling foul of the law in this area.  Beverley Sunderland , managing director of Crossland Employment Solicitors, joins us to set out what employers need to take into account and to provide practical guidance on rolling out a dress code policy. Sarah Byrne, HR practice editor, also joins us to discuss our latest research in thi...