Office lottery syndicates and workplace prize draws: the HR paperwork you actually need
A guide for employers on running office lottery syndicates and workplace prize draws: the legality, the tax position, the insurance angle …
Practical, sourced guides to employment law and people management for small businesses in England: contracts, handbooks, disciplinaries, grievances, redundancy, absence, flexible working and more.
Employment Rights Act: October 2026 Changes for Employers
What changes for UK employers in October 2026 under the Employment Rights Act 2025: tribunal time limits, harassment duties and key dates to …
Statutory Sick Pay From Day One: What Changed in 2026
Statutory sick pay now starts on the first day of sickness from 6 April 2026. Learn the rate, who qualifies, and what employers must do.
Contracts of employment: the written statement every worker must get on day one
Written statement requirements: what to include on day one, the difference between principal and wider statements, and common employer …
Employment law changes 2025–2026: a checklist for small employers
Employment law changes 2025–2026: statutory sick pay from day one, parental leave reforms, wage uplifts, and reduced dismissal qualifying …
Flexible working requests: what changed and how to respond
Flexible working requests: day-one right, eight statutory grounds for refusal, two-month decision window, and fair response procedures.
Handling a grievance: what employers must do
Handle employee grievances fairly: informal resolution to formal hearing and appeal, following the Acas Code of Practice.
Holiday entitlement and holiday pay: full-time, part-time and irregular hours
Holiday entitlement: 5.6 weeks for all workers, pro-rata for part-time, 12.07% accrual for irregular hours (from April 2024), and holiday …
How to write an employee handbook for a small business
Write an effective employee handbook: written statement requirements, contractual vs non-contractual policies, essential policies.
Making redundancies in a small business: the process, consultation and pay
Make redundancies fairly: consultation requirements, selection criteria, statutory redundancy pay calculation and timescales.
Managing sickness absence: triggers, return-to-work interviews and fit notes
Fit notes, return-to-work interviews, and SSP: managing sickness absence fairly, supporting long-term absence, and reasonable adjustments …
Outsourced HR or an in-house hire? How small businesses decide
When to hire an HR manager versus outsourcing: what triggers the decision, service models for small businesses, and what to look for in a …
Performance improvement plans: a fair process for underperformance
Performance improvement plans: capability vs conduct, informal support, PIP structure, objectives, support, timescale, review, and fair …
Probation periods: how to run them properly
Probation: contract terms, fair reviews, objectives, extending, and dismissal. From 1 January 2027, unfair dismissal protection begins after …
Right to work checks: how to do them and what it costs to get wrong
Right to work checks: manual checks, online share codes, digital verification, statutory excuse, follow-ups, and civil penalties up to …
Running a disciplinary procedure: a step-by-step guide for employers
Conduct a fair disciplinary procedure from investigation to hearing and appeal, following the Acas Code of Practice.
Settlement agreements: how they work and when to use one
Settlement agreements explained: legal requirements for binding agreements, conditions, tax exemptions, and typical terms.