http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk answered questions - great for browsing but use the search facility to search for answers on a specific subject daily 1 2007-04-26T19:24:51Z http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/i-began-my-maternity-leave-on-the-day-that-my-employer-went-into-administration-can-i-be-made-redundant-am-i-still-entitled-to-my-maternity-package I began my maternity leave on the day that my employer went into administration. Can I be made redundant? Am I still entitled to my maternity package? I have been with the company for six years. No publisher MariaMason 2008-10-06T12:00:25Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/i-am-pregnant-and-off-sick-at-the-moment-can-i-be-made-redundant I am 24 weeks pregnant but I have been off work for 8 weeks due to my health. I have been told my company has been making people redundant. Can they make me redundant even though I am pregnant and off sick? Can they tell me over the phone or in writing? No publisher MariaMason 2008-10-06T10:59:15Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/my-employers-have-failed-to-pay-my-wages-on-pay-day-what-action-can-i-take My employers have failed to pay my wages on pay day. What action can I take? No publisher MariaMason 2008-10-06T10:22:05Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/i-have-been-made-redundant-i-have-been-offered-a-job-with-another-firm-before-the-end-of-my-notice-period-can-my-employers-refuse-to-release-me-early I have been made redundant and am currently working my notice. I have been offered employment with another firm before the end of my notice period - can my employers refuse to release me early? No publisher MariaMason 2008-10-06T07:53:51Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/what-is-the-exact-wording-of-the-law-which-covers-the-taking-of-and-payment-for-holidays What is the exact wording of the law which covers the accrual and taking of holidays? I ask because I have seen somewhere that the law provides for 24 days paid holiday to be "taken within the year". My firm uses a multiplication factor for each week worked which would give me 24 days paid holiday after working for 52 weeks. They also state that no holiday is accrued whilst not working i.e. whilst taking said holidays. How can I take 24 (4.8 weeks) days paid holiday within the year when the remaining 47.2 weeks multiplied by the factor does not come to 24 days? The aforementioned factor is 0.462. No publisher MariaMason 2008-10-01T11:11:54Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/if-i-am-on-suspension-with-full-pay-is-it-not-supposed-to-be-confidential-information If I am on suspension with full pay, is it not supposed to be confidential information? I was out shopping and met a colleague from another branch of the company who asked about my suspension. At this time it was only the third day of my suspension. I thought it would be confidential information but it has got out not only to my branch but also another branch of the same company. Is the company in breach of confidentiality? No publisher MariaMason 2008-10-01T10:30:51Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/i-have-worked-for-a-local-council-for-nine-years-some-colleagues-have-just-received-a-financial-adjustment-due-to-being-underpaid-have-i-got-grounds-to-make-a-claim I have been working for a local Council in a non-teaching role at a local school for nine years. I have recently heard from fellow colleagues that they have received a financial adjustment due to being underpaid. Have I got grounds to put a claim in? No publisher MariaMason 2008-10-01T09:45:32Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/my-job-was-originally-a-part-time-job-share-but-my-job-share-partner-has-been-on-leave-for-two-years-is-there-such-a-thing-as-squatters-rights-when-it-comes-to-time-served-in-a-particular-post I've been in a post for three years. The first year was part-time on a job share basis. My job share partner then took maternity leave followed by unpaid leave for a total of two years. I have been covering the whole post for that time. Is there such a thing as 'squatter's rights' when it comes to time served in a particular post? No publisher MariaMason 2008-09-30T16:01:03Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/can-my-friends-manager-sack-him-for-working-too-slowly Last week my friend's manager warned him that if he doesn't speed up he will be sacked. He has been working for the company since 2005 and has never had a disciplinary and he is never late for work. My friend admits his working speed is slow but he tries his best to go faster. I believe all people are not equal and not everyone works at the same speed. Can his manager sack him because he works too slowly? No publisher MariaMason 2008-09-30T09:09:16Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/the-company-i-work-for-is-making-people-redundant-i-have-volunteered-but-been-rejected-can-i-offer-my-job-to-someone-who-has-been-made-redundant-in-return-for-redundancy-myself A first wave of "at risk" redundancy letters have been issued to those people affected in our company. So far my department has not been affected, but we are expecting another wave of letters any day. I would be quite happy to take redundancy and have already volunteered, but been rejected. Please can you tell me whether the company is obliged to offer voluntary redundanies before compulsory redundancies? If I am not selected for potential redundancy could I offer up my job to someone who has been in return for redundancy myself? No publisher MariaMason 2008-09-29T16:04:48Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/we-have-always-used-public-transport-for-business-travel-but-our-employers-are-now-saying-we-have-to-have-a-company-car-and-will-no-longer-be-permitted-to-use-public-transport-can-they-make-this-mandatory In my employment I need to travel for business purposes on average about twice a month. The usual method is to use public transport and then claim back the expenses. However, the company has recently implemented a new scheme where all employees who travel regularly are now to be issued with a company car and will no longer be permitted to use public transport for work travel. Is this allowed? Surely the company cannot make this mandatory? For people who have already been employed under the previous system of using public transport, surely we should be given the choice of either accepting a company car or continuing to use public transport? No publisher MariaMason 2008-09-29T10:06:38Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/can-i-sack-an-employee-who-turned-up-for-work-drunk Can I sack an employee who turned up for work drunk? The employee is only temporary and has worked for us for a few months and does not have a contract of employment. No publisher MariaMason 2008-09-29T09:22:00Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/can-my-employer-reduce-my-rate-of-premium-payment-for-working-saturdays Can my employer reduce my rate of premium payment for working Saturdays? My contract states that I am required to work Saturdays and for the past thirteen years this premium payment has never been reduced and is included in our pensionable pay. We have not been offered any compensation and a reduction in this 'allowance' will result in a lower annual pay and a lower final pension. We were recently given new contracts but it does not state a new rate for this allowance in the contract nor does it state it in a Terms and Conditions booklet. No publisher MariaMason 2008-09-29T08:09:58Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/at-a-grievance-meeting-can-an-employee-be-accompanied-by-an-ex-employee-of-the-company-or-does-it-have-to-be-a-present-employee When a grievance meeting is held, the employee can be accompanied by a work colleague or a trade union rep. Can the work colleague be someone who previously worked for the company or does it have to be a present employee? No publisher MariaMason 2008-09-25T13:22:26Z Rich document http://www.workplacelawyer.co.uk/questions/are-employers-allowed-to-conduct-a-disciplinary-hearing-over-the-telephone Are employers allowed to conduct a disciplinary hearing over the telephone? No publisher MariaMason 2008-09-24T10:42:39Z Rich document