FREE access to Legal & HR Advice Helpline for BPF Members

 

 

As part of your membership, BPF Members have free access to free and unlimited Legal and HR Advice phone helpline provided by Croner. 

 

For more guidance on any of these areas, instant answers to your questions, or just a second opinion: Call 0844 561 8133 and quote our association number to speak to an advisor.

 

The Kickstart Scheme was announced by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, in July 2020 as part of his “Plan for Jobs”. It is aimed at creating new high-quality jobs to help 16-24-year-old unemployed people on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Employers who take on scheme participants will receive funding from the Government to cover some employment costs, including wages.

• What changes have been made to the scheme?

• Am I eligible for the scheme and how do I apply for funding?

• What is a Kickstart gateway?

 

The escalation of the Coronavirus pandemic has forced school closures, resulting in many employees balancing work commitments and childcare/home schooling responsibilities. At time of writing, schools could return on 8th March ‘at the earliest’. As employees juggle this new way of working, employers have been exploring the best ways to support their staff.

• What rights do employees have for time off for dependants?

• What are my options to allow flexible working for my staff?

• What do I do if it is not possible for an employee to work from home and homeschool?

 

The roll out of the Coronavirus vaccine signifies the biggest step yet in combating the risk posed to the public from serious illness, and enables employers to begin to envisage a return to more normal operations. The approach you take will be dictated by various things including industry sector and the individual circumstances of the employee.

• Can I make it mandatory for my employees to have the vaccine?

• Can I insert a clause in employees’ contracts to require them to have the vaccine?

• Can my shielding employees return to work once vaccinated?

 

Employers whose staff have been allowed to continue going to work despite national lockdown measures across the UK may have already begun mass testing their staff for COVID-19, or are thinking about doing so. Mass testing in the workplace can enable employers to spot asymptomatic positive cases of the virus and reduce the possibility of it spreading to other members of staff.

• Do I need a testing policy, and what does it need to include?

• What do I do if an employee tests positive?

• What is the best way to organise and communicate our testing process?

 

From 1st January 2021, a new immigration system was introduced. Foreign nationals will be able to work in the UK through routes that include the Global Talent Visa route, Start-up and Innovator route, and Skilled Worker route. If you intend to take on foreign workers from next year, it is essential that you apply for a license as soon as possible.

• What is the difference with these routes and how do they work?

• How can I attract foreign workers and manage workers abroad?

• Does anything change for any foreign nationals I currently employ?

 

National Minimum Wage rates increase every April and this year is to be no different, despite the ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic. From 1 April, the National Living Wage will increase by 2.2 per cent. It will also be extended to those aged 23 and 24 for the first time, meaning those in this age bracket will see their salaries increase by nearly 9 per cent.

• What is the difference between the National Living Wage and the Real Living Wage?

• What are the new amounts for employees and apprentices?

• Are there any changes to statutory rates?

 

 

 

 

 

05/02/02012