Once the day of Brexit arrives, few would be surprised if the Working Time Regulations are high on Theresa May’s list for major change. Yet, for the moment, employers continue to struggle with the application of these Regulations, and their interpretation by the European Court continues to spring unpleasant surprises. Not the least of these surprises has come in relation to travelling time. Whereas an employee with a fixed place of work does not ‘clock on’ until he or she arrives at work, it has been held that a mobile worker – suc... Continue reading

The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) is calling on Government to further consider the costs of childcare and the benefits of a universal childcare entitlement up until school entry, in helping more firms retain and promote productive staff. The Government is already planning to double free childcare next year but, following research carried out in partnership with Middlesex University, the BCC considers further steps necessary in order for businesses to successfully recruit and retain staff. The survey, of more than 1,600 business leaders ac... Continue reading

The more help women receive at work while pregnant, the more they want to quit their jobs nine months after their babies are born, according to surprising new research in which 120 working pregnant women completed weekly surveys for a portion of their pregnancy. The women were then surveyed again nine months after the birth of their babies to explore how the help they received at work while pregnant influenced their post-partum career attitudes and aspirations. The resulting report, written by Judy Clair, Ph.D, Dr Kristen Jones, Dr Eden King a... Continue reading

We can’t get away from the issue of leadership at the moment, with a new prime minister that we need to put our faith in in such uncertain times, and now the controversial election of Donald Trump as new president of the US. But while it doesn’t quite equate to the responsibility of running the country, leadership is also a hugely important topic in the workplace. This article seeks to explore just some of the key factors that underpin leadership at work, with a special focus on when a catastrophe comes tumbling into our world, causing an ... Continue reading

In light of the announcement this month from PepsiCo that diversity in the workplace should “not just be important but a business imperative,” Pam Loch, Managing Partner of Loch Employment Law, reflects on the benefits of diversity in business and whether our legislative structure is robust enough to protect employees from discrimination in the workplace. The Equality ActThe Equality Act 2010 states that it is against the law to discriminate against anyone because of: age; being or becoming a transsexual person; being married or in a ... Continue reading