Premium Access Silver (Access to all subscriptions without Handbook)

Access all Premium Subscription Content with HR Adviser Premium Access Silver

Save 20% on the cost of individual subscriptions with Silver Access Gold

Absence

Includes advice on:

• Manage short and long term absences.
• Conduct a return to work interview after short absences.
• Obtain medical opinion and deal with refusals.
• Avoid discrimination.
• Conduct meetings for employees on long term sick absence.
• Handle problems with failure to attend meetings.
• Manage stress absences.
• Deal with unauthorised absences.
• Handle appeals
• Know when you can dismiss.

Provides:

• Letter templates covering the whole process through to appeal and dismissal.
• A summary guide for managers for the stages of managing sick absence.

Performance

Includes advice on:

• Understand the causes of underperformance.
• Decide whether it is capability or discipline.
• Follow a fair process.
• Handle problems such as: identifying the real reason, avoiding disability discrimination, investigating sensitively, the difficult subject matter of the meeting, maintaining an employee’s self-esteem.
• Handle appeals.

Provides:

• Letter templates covering the whole process through to appeal and dismissal.
• A summary guide for managers for the stages in managing underperformance.

Contracts

Includes advice on:

• Contract templates for a basic contract covering statutory requirements and a more premium contract for senior employees and to cover risk issues which have arisen from tribunal case law.
• The forming of a contract.
• The different types of contract, including oral contracts.
• Contract terms.
• Misrepresentation and mistakes.
• Varying contracts.
• Types of employment from long term to zero contract, fixed and temporary, annual hours, agency workers, apprenticeships and the self-employed.
• Employment Tribunal claims- the risks, who can claim, how to avoid them, the claim procedure, settling a claim.

Discipline

Includes advice on:

• Employees’ rights.
• Difference between disciplinary rules and procedures in managing discipline.
• Differentiating between won’t do conduct (discipline) and can’t do (capability).
• Fair disciplinary procedures.
• Who should deal with them; what is the appropriate level of action.
• Investigation- when should it be done; suspension; how to conduct it; employees’ rights, taking witness statements; anonymity; overlap with criminal offences.
• Managing the disciplinary process- what must go in the invitation letter to a disciplinary hearing; delivery and deemed receipt; failure to attend; going off sick; longer absences and stress.
• Conducting the meetings- the process; preparation, taking notes; keeping control and handling difficult reactions.
• Dealing with problems- Employee does not come; they raise a grievance so which should be dealt with first, how to question appropriately; employee becomes ill in the meeting; employee refuses to engage or deal in writing.
• Deciding on appropriate disciplinary action.
• Common pitfalls in the process.
• How to conduct an appeal meeting; keeping records.
• Handling Tribunal Claims – the process and do’s and don’ts.

Provides:

• Letter templates covering the whole process through to appeal and dismissal.
• A summary guide for managers for the stages in managing discipline.

Grievance

Includes advice on:

• The legal and contractual position of a Grievance procedure.
• What a grievance procedure should contain.
• How to deal with a grievance.
• How to prepare for a grievance hearing.
• Conducting and controlling the hearing.
• Dealing with emotions.
• How to deal with problems-
  • confidentiality; the number of people to interview; accusations against senior managers; should witness statements be given to the complainant; how often to meet with the complainant and accused.
  • Delays and long term absences.
• Dealing with appeals.

Provides:

• Letter templates covering the whole process to the outcome and decision.
• A summary guide for managers for the stages in managing grievances.

Recruitment and selection

Includes advice on:

• The legal and contractual position of a Grievance procedure.
• What a grievance procedure should contain.
• How to deal with a grievance.
• How to prepare for a grievance hearing.
• Conducting and controlling the hearing.
• Dealing with emotions.
• How to deal with problems-
  • confidentiality; the number of people to interview; accusations against senior managers; should witness statements be given to the complainant; how often to meet with the complainant and accused.
  • Delays and long-term absences.
• Dealing with appeals.

Provides:

• Letter templates covering the whole process to the outcome and decision.
• A summary guide for managers for the stages in managing grievances.

Redundancy

Includes advice on:

• The legal definitions of redundancy.
• The steps an employer must take for a fair procedure when making redundancies.
  • Identifying jobs at risk; defining the pool for selection; enforcement of mobility clauses; “bumping”.
• Consultation- who and when to consult; collective and individual consultation; definitions explained; information to consult on.
• Handling volunteers; protective awards.
• How to conduct individual consultation meetings.
• Developing fair and non-discriminatory selection criteria.
• Example scoring matrix and other selection criteria.
• How to handle employees on maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• Calculating notice and the legal options for it.
• Suitable alternative employment and trial periods.
• Calculating redundancy pay.

Provides:

• Letter templates covering the whole process from initial consultation to dismissal and alternative roles.
• A summary guide for managers for the stages in managing redundancy.