On the sixth day of Christmas, HR was asked “What's Sarah’s home address? I want to send her a Christmas present, and I don't want to guess!” And HR replied… ...
On the fifth day of Christmas, HR announced with fear... We’re stopping the Christmas bonus for everyone this year! Employers and individuals alike are feeling the impact of increased costs this winter, and it may well be that some employers will seek to save costs by not paying a bonus to employees this Christmas. But is it lawful to simply decide not to pay a Christmas bonus one year? The answer lies in the employment contract ...
On the fourth day of Christmas, HR were asked, when do you say “no more” to the Christmas decorations? And HR said to me...a giant light up turkey is just too much for the Christmas tree! It is a common misconception that Christmas decorations should be banned for breaching health and safety rules ...
There’s a common quip in Washington that federal employees leaving their jobs to work in the private sector are “going to the Dark Side.” However, what is not so funny for federal contractors and former executive branch employees is when the application process for — or the performance of work at — the new job runs afoul of ethics laws and regulations. For example, Oracle America Inc ...
Recent announcements suggest the government has moved away from amending UK employment law via an all-encompassing Employment Bill. Instead, it is supporting changes proposed by backbench MPs through various Private Members’ Bills (PMBs). The Queen’s Speech in December 2019 announced the government’s intention to bring about various employment law reforms, in particular those recommended in the Taylor Review and subsequent consultations, via an Employment Bill ...
On the third day of Christmas, HR was asked “How do you deal with the morning after the Christmas party?” And HR replied…carefully! There will no doubt be a few sore heads following a work organised Christmas Party and it will be that bit more tempting for employees to switch off the early morning alarm and go back to sleep! But what should employers do if an employee turns up late for work or doesn’t turn up at all? If the employment contract allows for it, an emplo
On the second day of Christmas, HR was asked “How do you keep control at the Christmas party?” And HR replied...by setting clear boundaries! Christmas parties are designed to be fun, but a few festive drinks can quickly get out of hand if not managed correctly. A sobering thought is that employers can be vicariously liable for the action of employees during work events such as Christmas parties. So, what steps should employers take? Risk assessments are a pre-party essential ...
Our partner, Wong Kian Jun, from the Employment and Administrative Law Practice Group reviews the Election Offences Act of 1954 and its implications today and discusses factors that should be considered and actions employers can take to ensure compliance in this Employment Law Alliance Employment Matters Vlog. Click here to watch the vlog ...
Our Partner, Raymond Low, of the Employment and Administrative Law Practice Group, moderated an Employment Law Alliance podcast titled “Mental Health in the Thai Workplace”. In this podcast, Raymond and guest speaker Sophon Pathumratworakun from Price Sanond discussed current mental health issues in Thailand. Click here to listen to the podcast ...
On the first day of Christmas, HR was asked, “Who should we invite to the Christmas party?”. And HR replied...everyone! When it comes to Christmas parties, although it is rare for employees who are absent, for example on sick leave or maternity or other family leave, to be deliberately excluded from the invite list, it is often the case that they are overlooked, particularly if they have been absent for some time ...
2022 saw the removal of all COVID-19 related restrictions. As we enter our first winter restriction free, we are likely to see a significant spike in COVID-19 cases in addition to other cold or flu viruses. So, what should employers do to manage this? It is imperative that employers consider what they can do to effectively manage COVID-19 within the workplace this winter and how best to protect their employees from associated risks ...
With all the changes to the world of work that we have recently experienced and are continuing to experience, our webinar programme this year is focused on the future of work and in particular the hot topics that HR teams are having to handle now in order to future-proof their organisations. Our latest seminar focused on menopause in the workplace ...
According to a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal decision, an employee cannot settle future statutory claims that have not arisen at the date of the settlement agreement. We review what this means in practice for parties entering into such agreements. In order for a settlement agreement to be valid, it must comply with the necessary statutory requirements ...
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has recently published its most recent Financial Services Survey, the results of which demonstrate the effect that Brexit is having on immigration of employees and expertise in to the UK in the financial services sector. There are an estimated 1.1 million UK jobs in the financial services sector. Historically, the sector obtained one fifth of its workers from outside of the UK ...
Employers will be familiar with the desire to settle a Tribunal claim before it reaches a final hearing, in fact the Tribunal itself actively encourages mediation and settlement. Swiss Re Corporate Solutions Ltd v Sommer EAT is an excellent example of why it is important to be careful in all without prejudice communication so that if a settlement is not reached, the without prejudice communication does not end up disclosed as part of the Tribunal proceedings ...
How can an employment disciplinary investigation findings determine fitness and propriety? Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SM&CR) firms are under a duty to consider fitness and propriety on an ongoing basis ...
On October 21, 2022, the IRS announced in Notice 2022-55 cost-of-living adjustments to the tax-qualified retirement plan dollar limits for 2023. Most of the applicable dollar limits currently effective for 2022 will increase substantially compared with prior years. Below is a summary of the limits that are generally relevant for most retirement plans. Effective January 1, 2023: The elective deferral limit for 401(k), 403(b), and eligible 457(b) plans is increased from $20,500 to $22,500 ...
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that legal privilege does not apply retrospectively to an original version of a report produced before legal advice was sought ...
When we talk about discrimination, most people think of those with protected characteristics such as disability, race or sex being treated less favourably. Should we be considering people being treated less favourably because of their height? What is heightism? The general premise of heightism is the act of forming beliefs subconsciously about someone’s mental and physical qualities because of their height ...
With increased cost of living and ongoing economic uncertainty, more and more workers are being forced to take on two (or more) jobs to cover soaring energy bills and pricey food shops. What do employers need to know and watch out for when this happens? Is having a second job permitted? It is not necessarily unusual for employees to have more than one job at the same time ...
Many companies have recently had to deal with situations where their employees (including remote employees) have independently decided to leave Russia and continue working from abroad. We have been receiving numerous requests for consultations on how to properly handle such work legally. It’s crucial now more than ever to act strictly in accordance with the law ...
About Us Founded in 2015, Kudun and Partners is a modern and forward-thinking law firm with a vision for a more client-focused way of practicing ...
On 9 September 2022, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (“MLVT”) issued Guideline 3005 on Administrative Fines for Owners or Directors of Factories, Enterprises or Establishments that Employ Foreign Employees without Work Permits and Employment Cards (“Guideline 3005”) ...