Sarena Harwood, Author at Ward Williams HR Advisers

31Mar

JRS FAQ for employers

Sarena HarwoodCoronavirus, Payroll Services

Ward Williams HR answer JRS FAQ for employers. That have come our way to date, It is not advice in itself. Please contact the office for further guidance.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for employees – quick questions answered PDFDownload

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme the detail PDFDownload

Here are some example questions below.

What is JRS?
A temporary scheme open to all employers for at least 3 months starting 1st March 2020. There is no financial limit as to what employers can claim. The scheme is limited only by a cap on the maximum grant that can be claimed in respect of an individual employee.

How does it work?
Employers can apply to HMRC for a grant to cover the lower of 80% of an employee’s regular salary of £2500.00 per month (capped) plus employer’s National Insurance Contributions and employer’s minimum pension contributions of 3%. Fees commission and bonuses are not included.

What employers are eligible for JRS?
The scheme is open to all UK employers that had created and commenced a PAYE scheme at the end of February 2020.

Should you require specific advice on any question or require letter templates please do get in contact with Sally Phillips, the MD of Ward Williams HR Limited. Tel 01932 830664. Email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

19Mar

Top tips for working from home

Sarena HarwoodCoronavirus, People Management Training

As some people move to working from home for the foreseeable future, it may be daunting and it usually takes a while to adjust.

Ward Williams HR have put together some things you can do to try and adapt to the changes:

Working from home WWHR Download

If you would like more information on remote working. Why not read our blog on: Making remote workers feel part of your company.

If you have any questions on any of the above, please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.

18Mar

Small business support from Coronavirus.

Sarena HarwoodCoronavirus, Payroll Services

Ward Williams HR is prepared for continuing timely support to our clients. We have identified the requirements for each area of the business to function and we are able to provide the appropriate resources to assist your business.

We detail below some recent Government initiatives in response to this disruptive event :

HMRC Helpline

As announced in the 2020 Budget, HMRC have opened a new helpline to support businesses which concerned about paying their tax due to coronavirus (COVID-19).

The helpline can be accessed on 0800 0159 559.

Further information on the helpline can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tax-helpline-to-support-businesses-affected-by-coronavirus-covid-19.

Other Help earmarked for Businesses :

Coronavirus business interruption loan scheme up to £2m per loan.

To abolish business rates for retail businesses for this year and extend scheme to leisure businesses not currently covered. Long term review of rates in autumn budget.

£10,000 cash grant for small businesses who already get rates’ relief.

£5bn emergency response fund on top of other plans providing “fiscal loosening” worth £18bn.

Further details can be found here : https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses.

If you are seeking additional HR services support your small business or you simply wish to discuss the fiscal impact of Covid – 19 on your business and the steps you could make to mitigate the impact then please do not hesitate to contact us.

18Mar

IR35 /Off worker rules update

Sarena HarwoodCoronavirus, Payroll Services

The Government has announced it will delay the roll-out of new IR35 Off-Payroll Tax rules for 12 months. This announced by the chief secretary to the Treasury, Steve Barclay, in the House of Commons on 17 March 2020.

The decision appears to have taken following “significant pressure” from campaigners and contractors.

There had been representations to the Government warning of the inevitable loss of work due to Covid-19 for those contractors deemed ‘inside IR35’ and effectively forcing many into ‘zero rights employment’.

Although the Government has stated its intention to legislate in April 2021, contractors, clients and industry stakeholders will welcome the announcement so that greater consideration can be given to the “ill-considered measures”.

Sally Phillips, Ward Williams HR Managing Director said that he was very pleased to see that the Government had delayed the potentially damaging IR35 Off-Payroll Tax roll-out for a year and hoped that large and medium sized ‘End users’ would take note and act accordingly.

17Mar

Ward Williams HR Coronavirus Business Continuity Plan

Sarena HarwoodCoronavirus

The spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to dominate the news, with major implications for public health and the NHS. It is also causing economic disruption and we want to reassure you we have put in place sensible measures to ensure that Ward Williams HR is well prepared and well positioned to continue to provide our services.

So, we’d like to explain what we’re doing to keep you safe and for the business to be able to run efficiently since the latest Government announcement.

We would like to make you aware of the below points:

Remote working from 18^th March

All Ward Williams HR staff will be remote working from Wednesday 18^th March. We already operate an agile working policy which means our staff have the ability to work from home and can access our systems in a secure IT environment. Your office contact will remain the same and will operate usual office hours and will also be fully contactable by telephone and email.

Access to office & meetings

If you need to drop off or collect records please contact your usual Ward Williams HR contact and we will make arrangements.

Due to the closure of the office, we would like to make you aware we have video conferencing facilities should you wish to make alternative arrangements to meetings.

Please try to avoid sending cheques, instead you can make payments over the phone (01932 830 664) / BACS.

We will assume unless we hear from you we have permission to open and scan your post. This will avoid any delay in the receipt of private post.

Government assistance for individuals and businesses

The government has announced support but as yet there is no actual detail to this. We will contact you in the coming days regarding suitable options and suggestions once this information is available.

If you have any comments or questions. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact with a member of Ward Williams HR.

Meanwhile, we wish you well in these challenging times.

13Mar

Coronavirus update 12th March 2020

Sarena HarwoodCoronavirus

The Government has announced that we are moving out of the contain phase and into delay, in response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The UK Chief Medical Officers have now raised the risk to the UK from moderate to high.

As per the current advice in the contain phase, the most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves remains washing their hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Make sure you cough or sneeze into a tissue, put it in a bin and wash your hands.

We are asking anyone who shows certain symptoms to self-isolate for 7 days, regardless of whether they have travelled to affected areas. This means we want people to stay at home and avoid all but essential contact with others for 7 days from the point of displaying mild symptoms, to slow the spread of infection.

The symptoms are: * A high temperature (37.8 degrees and above) * A new, continuous cough

You do not need to call NHS 111 to go into self-isolation. If your symptoms worsen during home isolation or are no better after 7 days contact NHS 111 online at 111.nhs.uk. If you have no internet access, you should call NHS 111. For a medical emergency dial 999.

If you would like any further assistance on employee matters for Coronavirus and the workplace. Please get in touch with the office or email hrservices@wardwilliams.co.uk.

29Jan

Changes to holiday pay calculations

Sarena HarwoodHR and Employment Law Advice and Support, Payroll Services

There are changes to holiday pay calculations for workers with irregular hours.

The reference period for calculating holiday pay is changing to 52 weeks from the current 12 weeks average period, where a worker has been employed by their employer for at least 52 weeks. Where a worker has been employed by their employer for less than 52 weeks, the reference period is the number of weeks for which the worker has been employed.

There are changes to holiday pay calculations for workers with irregular hours.

This is only applicable to those workers who receive variable remuneration either because there are normal working hours but the remuneration varies with the amount of work done or the time the work is done, or because the worker does not have normal working hours.

If you would like any more information on holiday pay, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

Find out more about holiday entitlement on the HMRC holiday calculator here.

29Jan

Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay

Sarena HarwoodHR and Employment Law Advice and Support

The right to parental bereavement leave and pay is expected to come into force in April 2020. The right will allow parents of a child under the age of 18 who has died to take two weeks’ leave. It will be available to the birth parents or those with parental responsibility for the child and can be taken within 56 weeks of the child’s death, in a block of two weeks, or two blocks of one week.

Employees will be entitled to parental bereavement leave from day one of their employment, but there will be a qualifying period of 26 weeks for entitlement to parental bereavement pay.

The government has not yet published the regulations that will finalise the details for the introduction of parental bereavement leave and pay. Once this has been finalised we will update your Company Handbook and send you a revised version for employees to access.

If you would like any more information on any of the points raise above, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01932 830664 or email sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

28Jan

What is a severe weather policy?

Sarena HarwoodPeople Management Training

With large parts of the UK having experienced heavy snowfall, we answer five common questions from employers on the workplace impact of severe weather conditions.

1.Do I have to pay employees who cannot get to work because of severe weather? Do I really need a policy on severe weather?

You may need the policy only a few times a year, but it is a good idea to make your workforce aware of the rules that will apply if they have difficulty getting to work because of bad weather.

The policy can be open ended enough to include disruptions caused by anything from natural disasters and severe weather to public transport strikes and terrorist attacks.

In principle, you would be within your rights to refuse to pay an employee who does not appear for work because of severe weather such as heavy snow.

This is because an employee who is not working is not fulfilling his or her contract of employment, and so you do not have to pay him or her.

This is the case even if the employee’s non-appearance is out of his or her control, for example because of extreme weather conditions.

However, this is one of those employment scenarios where the letter of law says one thing, but common sense dictates a more pragmatic approach.

The financial burden on your business of paying staff even though they are not working because of bad weather may be outweighed by the benefits.

Staff morale and your reputation as a good employer may benefit in the long run if you pay staff on a snow day.

2.What are my options if I need employees to work even though the weather is bad?

In this day and age, many jobs can be done from home, and employees who frequently work at home should be encouraged to do so when bad weather approaches.

However, employers need to be careful about asking employees to work at home when a requirement to do so is not included in their contracts of employment. So you need to seek their consent.

If it is not, to require an employee to work at home in severe weather will constitute a unilateral variation of contracts of employment requiring consultation in advance with affected staff. To avoid this, you need to express that this is a one off occurrence and bears not change to their terms and conditions of employment.

Employers should also consider the health and safety aspects of homeworking before imposing a homeworking requirement: some employees’ homes will simply not be set up to be turned into a temporary workplace.

3. Can employees take periods when they cannot get to work because of poor weather as annual leave?

Where employees are unable to get to work because of bad weather, taking the time as paid annual leave may be an option.

There is nothing to stop you asking if employees would like to take extra holiday if they are unable to get to work.

Many employees will find taking paid holiday preferable to losing a day’s pay.

However, there may be circumstances in which this might not be possible. For example, where the employee wishes to keep their leave for a foreign holiday.

If you are going to insist that employees take the time as holiday, you must give them the minimum statutory notice.

4. If I close my workplace because of bad weather, do I have to pay my staff?

If employees are working from home, you must pay them their normal wages.

If an employee is unable to work because you have made the decision to close the premises, this will in effect be a period of lay-off.

You should pay your employees their normal wage, unless there is a contractual provision allowing for unpaid lay-off, or the employees agree to being laid off without pay.

5. I have employees with children at schools and nurseries that are closed because of the severe weather. Do I have to give them time off when they have nowhere to put their children?

Employees have the statutory right to a reasonable period of unpaid time off for dependants.

The right applies where an employee needs to take time off work because of unexpected disruption to the care arrangements for a dependant.

The right to time off for dependants would clearly apply where schools or nurseries close because of severe weather.

An employee taking advantage of this right must inform you of the reason for the absence, and likely length of the absence, as soon as he or she can.

For further information of if you would like a copy of our Severe weather and disruption to public transport Policy please email Sally Phillips Managing Director of Ward Williams HR Ltd sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk

11Dec

What are your HR resolutions for 2020?

Sarena HarwoodStrategic HR planning for the future

With the end of 2019 fast approaching, we start to consider our goals and resolutions for the year ahead. What HR resolutions could your business set to help you on the right path for a successful and prosperous 2020?

1. Take time – January is the perfect opportunity for new beginnings; look and what you have and what you don’t have, take the time to review what you have in place, and see what needs a refresh.

2. Be committed with your HR practices – far too often problems arise through sheer lack of process. Have everything in place from the get go, relying on policies and procedures after an event won’t do you any favours.

3. Improve – How can you improve the practices you have in place? You might have a fantastic and robust performance review process, but do you use it? Do Managers and Employees find it useful? Have you even asked?

4. Keep up to speed – commit to being in the know with HR and Employment Law changes, or, if you don’t have the time, engage with a company that will and can ensure your business is compliant.

Need a hand? If you would like more information as to how you can set and achieve your workplace resolutions to make 2020 your best year yet, please get in touch with the office: sally.phillips@wardwilliams.co.uk or call 01932 830664.

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