First published on Thursday, August 22, 2024
Last updated on Thursday, August 22, 2024
Welcome to HR Heartbeat, where we give you a rundown of the week’s top employment law stories. Stay on the pulse of current trends impacting your business, plus get up-to-the-minute commentaries on all things HR and legal.
Will employees have the right to disconnect under Labour?
In the run-up to the general election, Labour promised to introduce a new right to disconnect. This new rule would give employees the chance to “switch off” separating their work life from their home life by making it unlawful for employers to contact employees outside of working hours.
While a timeline for this has yet to be confirmed, employers should prepare as a new code of practice could be on the horizon soon…
The government are still in their summer recess, so we’ll likely have to wait a bit longer for further details. But the right to disconnect would mean employers should not contact staff outside of normal working hours unless there is an emergency or contact has been agreed.
If a new code is introduced, it could mean employers might see a 25% lift in tribunal compensation if they breach the code. But it’s worth noting, it’s not clear yet which specific tribunal claims the code would apply to if the government do decide to introduce one.
Have more questions about the right to disconnect? Ask Brainbox for instant answers to questions like:
- What is the right to disconnect?
- Do employees have the right to disconnect?
- What information should I put in a right to disconnect policy?
Are your employees working too hard?
Did you know 79% of UK employees have experienced professional burnout? Burnout is a chronic condition defined as an excessive period of stress and exhaustion. And as this rise in burnout sweeps the nation, psychologists have started to ask: Are employees working too hard?
While working too hard might sound like the opposite of a problem, it could be having an adverse effect on productivity. According to research, more than 10 million employees have had to take time off to cope with burnout, costing UK businesses around £700m in sick days.
There are a couple of proven ways for employers to reduce the negative impact of employee burnout in their organisation. These include offering flexible working, supporting positive mental health in the workplace, and having a clear absence management policy in place.
How do I balance last-minute leave requests over the August Bank Holiday?
This week employees will be looking forward to time off for the bank holiday that falls on Monday 26th of August this year. But as there’s no automatic right to time off on bank holidays, employers need to remember to check their employees’ contracts carefully to understand their entitlement.
And your preparation for the bank holiday shouldn’t stop at contracts. Previous BrightHR data has shown the Friday before the bank holiday to be the most booked-off day of the year.
While you can’t predict when your employees will take leave, if you receive multiple requests for the same day, it’s vital you treat every request fairly.
Balancing annual leave requests within a team that requires minimum staffing levels can quickly lead to holiday clashes. The best way to prevent employees in the same department from booking the same day off work is to have clear guidelines and a fair annual leave policy.
For more support on this topic, ask Brainbox:
- Are bank holidays included in statutory annual leave?
- Can I refuse a short-notice annual leave request?
- Can we stop staff taking holidays in July and August when we are busy?
And that’s a wrap. Tune in next week for more headlines and make sure you stay ahead of major employment law changes!
