aiMac HR Employment Law Consultancy

Good Morning (on my birthday!),

ACAS has recently updated its Code of Practice on Flexible Working (currently awaiting parliamentary approval but this is a formality).

The updated Code incorporates the changes made to Flexible Working laws with effect from 6 April 2024.

You can access the new Code on the ACAS website if you want to see it now.

This comes as a new ACAS report, released today, reveals that 3 in 10 employers have seen an increase in staff working from home over the past year.

Watch this space for further developments in this area!

We are only 4 days in and it's already been an incredibly busy start to 2024 for aiMac-hr employment law consultancy!

The week kicked off with advising a new individual client about an interesting and potentially valuable whistleblowing claim against an established but misfiring holiday company and is ending with a set of instructions from another new employer business client; an influential international environmental industry business which recently raised $10 million in Series A funding from two leading venture capital firms focused on climate and impact!

In between helping these two important new clients, we have been looking after our valued existing ones and advising on a range of different issues including casual workers' contracts, breach of restrictive covenants, staff suspected of being intoxicated at work, holiday pay for casual workers who are on maternity leave and/or off sick and a range of other performance/conduct issues.

There is nothing we can't handle that is employment law related at aiMac-hr and if you want to find out why our existing clients are staying and new ones are joining us, please send us an email or get in touch for an informal chat. It could be the best email or call you have ever sent/made, especially if you like saving time and money.

Roll on 2024 😉

I have had so many different responses to the fairly predictable news that it is possible for an abusive reference to a man being bald to constitute harassment in a workplace setting.

What do you think? Have we all gone soft and lost our sense of humour or should we nowadays refrain completely from making comments about other people’s personal characteristics?

Be interested to hear your views!

I am extremely pleased to announce that the work we do at aiMac-hr employment law consultancy has been independently recognised in the 2023 SME Business Elite Awards.

Only 3 years since aiMac-hr was formed, we have been crowned Best HR + Employment Law Consultancy 2023!

A huge and heartfelt "thank you" to all our loyal clients, supporters, champions and referrers.

Our journey has only really just begun and we very much hope you will choose to continue it with us🙂

My youngest daughter went off to train to become a nurse at Swansea University in Sept 2020.

After 3 years severely complicated by Covid lockdowns and lots of different placements all over Wales, hardly helped by industrial action, Emily finally got her degree result today (which itself was delayed by a week due to the exam assessors being on strike - and no I am not making it up!).

She is now a Bachelor of Science with an Attila the Hun (or Second Class Honours, Division One classification for those unfamiliar with the slang) 🤣

It's never easy when your older sibling has already graduated (also with a 2:1) 2/3 years before but they have made a proud Dad very old today (and yes I do mean it that way round!).

To all those other nursing and other medical graduates embarking on their careers proper this Autumn, I say good luck. Because we are all probably going to need your help at some time or another.

Does simple tick box compliance on diversity, equality and inclusion issues help your organisation deliver considerable dividends and achieve business goals?

Nope, probably not!

Unless you have genuine dialogue between views across your business then instead of encouraging a diverse approach (which to all you sceptics out there can actually be beneficial) you are only likely to end up with a culture that shuts people down rather than stimulating the conditions for their - and your organisation's - success.

When did you last take a look at your diversity, equality and inclusion plan? Do you even have one?

Talk to us if you are interested in making the changes which will help your business flourish in the modern age.

Qu. Why was aiMac-hr employment law consultancy launched in 2020?
Ans. To provide clients with exceptional value and quality strategic HR and employment law advice which saves both time and money!

Qu. Why is aiMac-hr different to its competitors?
Ans. Because it is owned and run by a personable but vastly experienced employment lawyer (over 30 years in practice) who can spot the pitfalls a mile off through having handled a huge range and number of cases and appeared as an advocate in just about every UK employment tribunal!

Qu. Why has aiMac-hr grown so rapidly and why are clients choosing us?
Ans. Because we solve problems quickly and efficiently and provide the best "prevention is better than cure" service available on the market!

Qu. What do clients who switch to aiMac-hr consistently tell us they have experienced with other providers?
Ans. 1. An inability to prevent and solve problems 2. A failure to improve the client's business and profit margins 3. High costs and slow delivery 4. A lack of legal knowledge 5. Not enough commercial strategic advice!

Qu. How can your business benefit from aiMac-hr's legal expertise?
Ans. Call us now on 07921 938675 and find out!

We look forward to speaking with you.

Pregnant women will get more protection against being made redundant under new rules set to become law later this year.

Currently, workers cannot be dismissed when they are on maternity leave.

Under the new law, this protection will begin from the moment a woman tells her boss she is pregnant until the child is 18 months old.

The Pregnant Then Screwed charity said Labour MP Dan Jarvis's bill was a "step in the right direction" but needs more legal backbone.

Mr Jarvis's bill, was approved by MPs on Friday and will now be debated in the House of Lords.

However, as it has government support it is likely to become law and will apply to England, Wales and Scotland, but not Northern Ireland where employment law is devolved.

Watch this space!

Just received from Jess Wiggins at the "Get Set For Growth" program:

Your workshop is now live on eventbrite so feel free to circulate the link with your contacts and invite any business owners in Devon that you know who might be interested:

https://lnkd.in/eC6xFWyQ

There are some other workshops listed on there too which you & any business owners you know are welcome to sign up for.

GetSet Adapt Workshops In-person workshops to help build your skills and business knowledge from GetSet Adapt - open to businesses across Devon and fully funded, so at no cost to the participant.

I am looking forward to attending my first Chamber of Commerce event in Paignton this evening.
Presentation by Richard James of Boyce Hatton Solicitors.
Making the Most of your Business Brand and Know-how – Takeaways from M&S/Aldi’s Caterpillar Dispute.
A topical look at what businesses can do with their Intellectual Property.
Not my area of expertise and always good to learn about something new which will be relevant for my own business as well as my clients' businesses.

"Happy New Year" to you from aiMac-hr employment law consultancy!

Here are some potential employment law developments to look out for in 2023:-

Restrictive covenants:

In 2021, the government consulted on whether restrictive covenants, also known as non-compete clauses, should be unenforceable or enforceable only when compensation is provided during the term of the clause. The consultation closed some time ago (on 26 February 2021) but we think it is possible that we may see this back on the agenda in 2023. As always, it will depend on sufficient parliamentary time being available and the government’s willingness to focus on such issues. We are also still awaiting further news in relation to the government’s 2019 consultation on confidentiality clauses and non-disclosure agreements. Draft legislation in this regard is still awaited and again we may see it introduced in 2023, if parliamentary time allows.

Future of work review:

Matt Warman MP led a review into the Future of Work during Spring and Summer 2022. The first phase was a high-level assessment of the key strategic issues. The subsequent report recommended that the government consider four areas in detail: artificial intelligence and automation; skills; place and flexibility; and workers’ rights. Phase two is anticipated in the new year, with the focus expected to be on a more detailed assessment of these four specific areas.

‘Fire and re-hire‘:

Finally, following mounting criticism of dismissal and re-engagement practices during the Covid-19 pandemic, (otherwise known as ‘fire and re-hire’ tactics), BEIS’ publication of a draft statutory code of practice to address the practice of firing and rehiring is still widely anticipated and 2023 may well be the year when this comes to fruition.

Even just one of these potential legislative developments could alter employment law in quite a big way so we suggest you continue to look out for our future updates.
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After a period of unprecedented growth, aiMac-hr is embarking upon a digital marketing campaign and a major website rebuild.....keep a look out for our new website in coming weeks. And a big "thank you" to all those companies (you know who you are!) who pitched for the work and provided extremely helpful information in the process

Are you desperate to get back to working in the office or happy to remain working from home??

What are the most common problems you face as an employer of staff?

You may have seen aiMac-hr was a brand new start-up employment law and hr consultancy formed in 2020 - our client base is growing rapidly because we have a value proposition: we know the value of our business, we know why our clients gain value from our business and, most importantly, we know why our clients value our business over our competitors. To find out more, get in touch!

Did you know that aiMac-hr can provide FREE employment law training for managers/supervisors in any business and in any sector on a range of different important issues? Get in touch for further details about how to take advantage of this amazing offer!

It's obviously not going to be a normal Xmas by any means but have a great time over the festive period everyone and let's hope 2021 will be a much better year for us all. Keep safe and look after your loved ones, even if from afar!

aiMac-hr is offering a special pre-Xmas hr/employment law retainer package for your business - contact us for further details