As the temperature continues to rise across the UK, employers may have to start considering the employment issues that often come hand in hand with the summer sunshine. We’ve put together five to look out for over the next few weeks.
Summer dress codes
An employment issue that many employers face during the warmer months is dress codes. Employers may consider it reasonable to allow a more relaxed dress code during the summer but rules need to be put in place to standardise the extent of this. Employers may choose to vary the dress code depending on the role the employee plays. For example customer-facing roles still need to meet certain standards of presentation and, for health and safety reasons, some employees may need to continue to wear protective clothing. How ever employers choose to implement a summer dress code, they must ensure that it is reasonable, appropriate to the business and does not discriminate any groups of employees.
Office temperatures
Office temperatures are a difficult issue to deal with during the summer because there is no ‘maximum temperature’ listed in the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. The regulations simply state that the workplace needs to be a ‘reasonable’ temperature. For different work environments, what is considered as reasonable will vary. Employers need to take into account factors such as whether work is strenuous or physical, access to the outdoors and fresh air, air conditioning and more.
Holiday request clashes
The summer months are particularly popular for holiday requests and it is likely that there will be many competing requests received from different workers. In these scenarios the employer must prioritise these requests in a way that is fair and consistent. For many this means doing it on a first-come, first-served basis. Setting out a holiday policy with notice provisions and other details can help avoid short periods of notice for requests and refusals.
Returning late from a summer holiday
It’s not uncommon for workers to book time off for holiday and return a little later than planned. In many cases this is a genuine illness or delay but it can also be reason for suspicion. When this does happen, the first thing employers should do is allow the employee an opportunity to provide an explanation; this could include seeking supporting evidence such as a medical certificate. In cases where the explanation does not appear genuine, the employer will need to consider disciplinary action.
For more information, visit http://79.170.40.162/enlightenhr.com or contact Alison Benney:
alison@enlightenhr.com
Tel: 01803 469466
Mobile: 07967221595
