In our latest employment law podcast, managing associate Natalie Edwards and associates Dermot Neligan and Eirini Haidemenos discuss the Government's new Employment Rights Bill published on 10 October 2024, which has been described as a 'once in a generation' overhaul of employee rights. The Stephenson Harwood team discuss what employers need to be aware of, including changes to protections against unfair dismissal, entitlement to statutory sick pay, and rights for new parents.

Many of the Government's proposals require further consultation, and several of the more major changes will take effect "no sooner than Autumn 2026". We recommend that clients listen to the podcast and review their policies and procedures considering the proposed changes. Please also keep an eye out for further advice that the Stephenson Harwood team will publish once we have clarity on the new legislation. 

In this episode, James Quarmby, Kim Sgarlata, Oak Group's Group Chief Executive Officer and employment specialist Serena Foulkes discuss why pride still matters, queer heroes and the protections LGBTIQ+ people and their allies have in the workplace. 

Navigating inheritance laws in the United Arab Emirates ("UAE") can be complex, especially for expatriates and those unfamiliar with Islamic Sharia law principles.

For employers, the subject matter was brought into greater focus with the issuance of UAE Ministerial Decision no. 720/2023 prescribing employers' obligations to distribute end-of-service gratuity entitlement following an employee's death.

In our latest podcast, we share the recording of a webinar we co-hosted on 5 December 2023 with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) Authority, which oversees one of the largest commercial free trade zone areas in the UAE.

In this informative session, Emily Aryeetey and Tasleem Sayani touched on:

• The importance of expatriates having a Will in the UAE;
• Sharia law and how it applies to asset distribution the guardianship of minor children; and
• Employer responsibilities in managing issues arising following an employee's death.

In our latest employment podcast, partner Richard Freedman, managing associate Natalie Edwards and senior knowledge lawyer Leanne Raven discuss the topic of redundancies.  They discuss how employers can best navigate this difficult topic from both a legal and practical perspective. 

In our latest podcast, employment lawyers Anne Pritam, Emily Aryeetey and Leanne Raven grapple with some of the issues posed by using Generative AI in the workplace. They also take a deeper dive into some of the key implications of AI in the workplace, including:

·    how and when AI can permeate the employment lifecycle;

·    what employers should be doing now to mitigate the risks associated with its use; and

·    how AI might determine the future world of work.

The momentum of the #metoo movement coupled with heavy media scrutiny on harassment in the workplace cases, has led to an increased focus from employers asking what they can do to prevent and deal with sexual harassment in the workplace.

In our latest podcast episode we discuss a number of sexual harassment cases, the legislative changes on the horizon and provide our top tips for employers.

At this time of year, we find many HR departments for December year-end companies are actively addressing bonus pay-outs for 2022 and bonus terms for the year 2023. In our latest employment law podcast we discuss some common issues and pitfalls which arise with bonuses. We also provide some tips for dealing with those issues as well as special points of interest that have recently arisen.

In our latest podcast we discuss employer frequently asked questions and tricky areas when instructing occupational health advisors. This is a hot topic for employers, particularly since covid with employees suffering from both physical effects of long covid and the mental health impact caused by the pandemic. We consider a number of areas including:

• When to instruct occupational health?
• What should an employer do if an employee refuses to go to occupational health?
• Tips for drafting occupational health referrals

To mark Baby Loss Awareness Week which falls on 9th to 15th October 2022 our latest podcast deals with the sensitive topic of fertility, infertility and pregnancy loss. We look at why this is a workplace issue and what employers can do to support employees going through these experiences. 

This episode is different to the rest of our employment law series as rather than a deep dive into the legal framework it’s a discussion of where the law stands, or rather trails behind, modern society and the challenges faced by many.  We will discuss this through the prism of the personal experience of one of our partners, Suzanne Johnston. 

Suzanne is a partner in our top-ranked international private wealth team, she is based in Singapore and has recently won a prestigious award for Wealth Management Rising Star Under 40 at the WealthBriefingAsia Awards 2022.  Suzanne is a prominent advocate in promoting dialogue around issues of fertility and pregnancy loss, particularly in the workplace context, and has kindly agreed to share her story on this podcast.

This year National Inclusion Week falls on 26 September to 2 October. Founded by inclusive employers, it’s a week dedicated to celebrating inclusion and taking action to create inclusive workplaces. To mark National Inclusion Week our latest employment podcast discusses the topic of intersectionality. Intersectionality refers to the interconnected nature of certain categories such as race, class and gender which can create overlapping systems of discrimination and disadvantage. Laura Anderson (managing associate) and Leanne Raven (senior knowledge lawyer) discuss intersectionality and employment law, and provide practical tips for employers to help create inclusive workplaces.

Recent reports have indicated a significant increase in the number of employment tribunal claims referencing disability discrimination as a result of a neurodiverse condition and we expect this trend to continue. In our latest podcast, we discuss neurodiversity and the workplace, highlighting key areas of concern for employers as well as practical steps employers can take to encourage diverse workplaces and to minimise risks of disability discrimination claims.