Employment Law Series
Employment law issues are currently front and centre with employees adapting to the new way of working and businesses doing their best to survive. This 6 part series will examine good faith in restructuring and redundancies, work-from-home arrangements, restraint of trade and protecting confidential information, recent cases and the Holidays Act, employee performance management, medical incapacity, bullying and harassment. Choose the session most relevant to you or attend them all.
Description
Attend and earn 6 CPD hours
If you register for the full series as a live online product after the date of an individual session, you will be sent the recording for the sessions that have passed. Alternatively, you can register for individual sessions by following the links below.
Session 1
Friday, 3 July 2020
You will examine good faith, genuine reasons, and reasonable processes when advising on restructuring or redundancies.
Facilitator: William Fussey, Senior Solicitor, SBM Legal
10.00am to 11.00am: Mastering Restructuring and Redundancies
Analyse the big questions and gain practical tips for advising clients considering restructuring or redundancies including:
- Understanding what constitutes a genuine reason
- Ensuring a fair and reasonable process
- Analyse what is considered a reasonable process in the light of COVID-19?
Presented by Amanda Douglas, Partner - Employment and Health and Safety Practice Leader, Wynn Williams
Learning Objective: Examine how to best advise clients and manage a restructure or redundancy
Register here for Session 1 only
Session 2
Wednesday, 22 July 2020
Attend and unpack the legalities and risks associated with employee ‘work from home’ arrangements.
9.30am to 10.30am: Permanent Work from Home Arrangements (WFH): Employment Issues
In the post-lockdown environment, employers and employees in many workplaces are looking to continue working from home arrangements given the mutual benefits we have seen. You will look at what needs to be considered from a legal perspective, including:
- What changes to employment agreements need to be made
- How do you meet our health and safety obligations
- What other obligations and potential impediments do you need to be cognisant of?
Presented by Blair Scotland, Partner, Dundas Street
Learning Objective: Critique the implications of what permanent work from home arrangements may look like.
Register here for Session 2 only
Session 3
Wednesday, 5 August 2020
Gain a deeper understanding of the legal framework around protecting confidential information and enforcing restraint of trade.
Chair: Shelley Eden, Director, Gaze Burt Limited
9.30am to 10.30am: Restraints of Trade and Protection of Confidential Information
With COVID-19 making business tight, and competition more acute, businesses will be mindful of ensuring that their staff do not misuse their confidential information or breach restraints of trade. The legal framework in this area can be complicated, and advice usually needs to be given quickly and against practical considerations that could win the day. You will cover:
- Getting the clauses right in the employment agreement, restraints of trade, confidentiality and garden leave
- Exploring the options when the resignation comes, and the flipside for the employer/new employer
- Where to file and for what: jurisdictional matters
- What to focus on for injunctive relief
Presented by Sherridan Cook, Partner, Buddle Findlay
Learning Objective: Receive a critical update on restraints of trade and protecting confidential information.
Register here for Session 3 only
Session 4
Wednesday, 19 August 2020
Attend and you will receive a timely update on the Holidays Act reform and a critique of the consequences of the Metropolitan Glass Decision.
9.30am to 10.30am: Update on the Holidays Act and the Implications of the Recent Metropolitan Glass Decision
- Receive an update on the progress of the Holidays Act Review Taskforce and the expected timeframe for possible reform
- Analyse the recent decision in Metropolitan Glass & Glazing Limited v Labour Inspector
- Understanding the implications of this decision
- Gain practical advice for payroll teams on how to combat these changes
Presented by Jennifer Mills, Director and Andrew McCombie, Solicitor, Jennifer Mills & Associates
Learning Objective: Examine the Holidays Act and receive practical tips by working through a practical case study
Register here for Session 4 only
Session 5
Wednesday, 9 September 2020
You will gain a thorough understanding on how to effectively implement processes to effectively advise on how to performance manage an employee.
Chair: Shelley Eden, Director, Gaze Burt Limited
9.30am to 10.30am: Performance Management: Process, PIPs and Alternatives
- Understand the process needed to performance manage an employee and also the content required to justify a PIP (Performance Improvement Plan)
- Explore where performance management sits with other employment law processes and explore the possible alternatives to performance management
Presented by Fiona McMillan, Partner, Lane Neave
Learning Objective: Ensure you’re across the proceeded need to performance manage an employee
Register here for Session 5 only
Session 6
Wednesday, 23 September 2020
The process for terminating an employees’ employment due to their long term illness or injury and factors that need to be considered. Also, what employers need to do to prevent bullying in the workplace and what to do if a complaint of bullying is made.
9.30am to 10.30am: Managing Medical Incapacity, Bullying and Harassment
- Advising clients on the factors they need to consider before dismissing an employee for medical incapacity
- Case law examples of how the nature of the employee’s position effects whether a dismissal for medical incapacity is justified
- The general process that needs to be followed before a decision to terminate for medical incapacity can be made
- What constitutes “bullying and harassment” and what employers need to do to prevent it
- What employers need to do if a complaint of bullying is made and when are employers liable
Presented by Maria Green, Senior Associate, Lane Neave
Learning Objective: Gain a deeper understanding of the requirements for dismissal for medical incapacity.