Bill for redundancy to increase

January 10th, 2012

As unwelcome as it is to be talking about redundancy so soon into the New Year, this nevertheless remains a subject close to the hearts of many employers.  Read the rest of this entry »

And so to the end of our festive blog….

December 23rd, 2011

23rd December

So – last working day before the Christmas break and we have just received a bottle of sherry (yes – our policies on alcohol and prevention of bribery do permit us to accept this!) and a Christmas card from Mr SC. It said:Read the rest of this entry »

Compromise Agreements can bring that ‘Happily ever after’ ending….

December 22nd, 2011

22nd December

Good news! We have today heard that Miss White has made a full recovery from her unfortunate accident with a poisoned apple. (Now also recorded in the accident book, following the hasty implementation of an updated health and safety policy by her employers). Read the rest of this entry »

Can the season of goodwill even stretch to disciplinary penalties?

December 21st, 2011

21st December

Got an email from Mr SC this morning. He has completed the disciplinaries for Donner, Blitzen and Dasher. Donner and Blitzen did escape with only a final written warning, but he felt he had no option but to dismiss Dasher because he was the transport team supervisor and it seemed that he had been using his extra authority to threaten Donner and Blitzen. Read the rest of this entry »

Watch out for the mistletoe……. !

December 20th, 2011

20th December

“Christmas time – mistletoe and wine..”  , the perfect recipe for a new office romance – or the breaking up of an old one. Office relationships can bring an array of problems for employers and there was a time when they seemed keen to ban them altogether through strict rules in their contracts and handbooks. Read the rest of this entry »

Do non- biological fathers qualify for paternity leave?

December 19th, 2011

19th December

Ok – into the last week before Xmas now, but one of our company clients has a tricky problem. They employ a young man (we’ll call him Joseph) as a carpenter. His wife is expecting a baby sometime around the 25th of the month. She has just started her maternity leave. Joseph is enquiring about paternity leave, Read the rest of this entry »

The need for a risk assessment dwarfs all other workplace obligations….

December 16th, 2011

16th December

Heard some very sad news about Miss White, whom we saw last week. It seems that the day after we saw her, the Company started receiving visits from a very persistent salesperson, who was able to take advantage of the rather vulnerable Miss White being left alone in the office day after day. Read the rest of this entry »

RRNR’s grievance update …..

December 15th, 2011

15th December

Mr SC telephoned to let us know that RRNR’s grievance meeting had just taken place and the grievance upheld in its entirety.  RRNR was apparently overjoyed, his nose beaming brighter than ever at the news. He is keen to get back to work as soon as possible, Read the rest of this entry »

That dangerous combination of facebook and the office party?

December 14th, 2011

14th December

If they had had computers in 1AD, do you think the three wise men would have relied on a star to get them to Bethlehem? No of course not, they would have arranged it all via facebook and fitted their camels with a sat nav!Read the rest of this entry »

Are even reindeer entitled to a fair disciplinary hearing?

December 13th, 2011

13th December

Had a meeting yesterday with Mr SC regarding RRNR’s grievance.  He has now obtained statements from the whole transport team. Interestingly, two employees, Dancer and Prancer, have witnessed the bullying on more than one occasion and had wanted to speak out but were afraid to do so for fear of repercussions. Read the rest of this entry »