The HR Dept Weekly Roundup

Are you an SME in Warwickshire that wants up to ￡8750 funding for training your workforce?

If you’re an SME owner or are self-employed and your company is based in an area covered by Warwickshire County Council, you really need to get in touch with us at [email protected] to find out how we can help upskill you and your workforce.

The King’s speech – what employers need to know

In a grand spectacle of pomp and promises, King Charles III announced plans for a new employment rights bill that experts say will be a 'seismic shift' for workers and businesses. The Labour government vowed to ban ‘exploitative’ practices and enhance employment rights, promising to work with businesses and workers alike. They also plan to reform the apprenticeship levy and create Skills England to put employment at its core. Find out more details here .

Neurodivergent employees “mask” their conditions at work

Commentators urge employers to consider why staff hide their neurodivergence, as two-fifths feel uncomfortable requesting reasonable adjustments. Nearly two-thirds of neurodivergent employees have been "masking"—suppressing their true selves—leading to anxiety, stress, exhaustion, and poor mental health, according to Pearn Kandola’s Neurodiversity At Work Report 2024. The report highlights that masking significantly harms employees' self-confidence and performance. Read more about this here .

Employer ordered to pay ￡26K to employee for coughing in her face

Kevin Davies, father of British Lions and Wales rugby star Gareth Davies, turned health concerns into his personal comedy act, a tribunal heard. Mr. Davies, 62, mocked an employee at his car sales and property business just before lockdown. The woman had sensibly asked her colleagues at Cawdor Cars to practice social distancing due to her psoriatic arthritis and autoimmune condition.

But employment judge Tobias Vincent Ryan revealed that Mr. Davies decided to be the class clown, deliberately coughing in her direction, and calling her concerns "ridiculous." Judge Ryan stated that Mr. Davies aimed to "ridicule and intimidate" her with his "gross behaviour" on March 17, 2020—just a week before the first lockdown. Talk about bad timing and even worse manners! Read more here .

DWP to review sick note system

The Department for Work and Pensions is gearing up to review new evidence on the sick note system, which currently lets Universal Credit claimants get extra cash if they’re too ill to work.

Here's how it currently works: after three months of sending in fit notes, claimants face a work capability assessment. Based on the results, they might land in one of two incapacity groups. The Limited Capability for Work (LCW) group doesn’t have to job hunt immediately but must prep for future employment, like brushing up their CV. Meanwhile, the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) group gets to skip the job hunt and prep altogether, pocketing an extra ￡416 a month. Read more about how things might be changing here .

Thank you for reading this week’s edition of the HR Weekly Roundup. We hope you continue to gain valuable knowledge and resources from the HR world with us. If you ever need help with your HR headaches, give us a call on 01926 353131 or email us at [email protected] .