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February 2012
Putting lawyers in touch with the youth of Oldham
Pearson Hinchliffe partner, Michael Pitt, takes over as 2012 Oldham Law Association President.
MoreNew Guidance on Fit Notes published today
19th February 2010
New guidance on the fit note is today being published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) following extensive consultation with business groups and medical representatives.
Employers are urged visit www.dwp.gov.uk/fitnote
On April 6, 2010, fit notes will be introduced, replacing the traditional sick note, allowing doctors to provide people with advice to employers on what types of work their patient would be able to do if duties could be amended or working hours reduced temporarily.
It is hoped the changes would cut the cost of sick leave for employers and benefit the UK economy by up to £240 million over ten years; preventing long-term sickness absence and ensuring employers do not lose their investment in the skills and expertise of their workers.
Lord McKenzie, Minister for the Department for Work and Pensions said, "The fit note will reduce the costs employers often have to bear when people are off sick for a long time. We know work is good for people's health. With the right support in place, employers and doctors can work with employees to help them get back to work sooner."
Commenting on the development of the guidance, Dr Bill Gunnyeon, Chief Medical Adviser at DWP said: "From the outset, the development of the fit note has been a collaborative effort. It demonstrates what can be achieved when Government, healthcare professionals, employers and other key stakeholders work closely together towards a common goal. We need to continue this good work once the fit note is in place to ensure it delivers the benefits it should for individuals, employers and GPs."
Introduction of the fit note is based on medical research that shoes work is in general good for mental and physical health and can actually help people’s health recover in a number of conditions.
The Department for Work and Pensions developed the fit note following consultation with the British Medical Association, Royal College of General Practitioners, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, CBI, ACAS, Federation of Small Businesses, Association of British Insurers, British Retail Consortium and the manufacturers' organisation, EEF.
Dame Carol Black, National Director for Health and Work said, "Work plays a significant role in determining a person's health. The fit note is a hugely important development which means that GPs will be encouraged to think about their patient's ability to work and provide more helpful information to patients to discuss with their employer. This is why the fit note is a win-win for both employees and employers."
If you are still unsure about how the new fit note regime will affect your working practices and procedures, please speak to employment department partner, Michael Pitt, on 0161 785 3506.
January 2012
Company and commercial law reforms to reduce red tape
Companies of all shapes and sizes have been asked for their views on how to tackle unnecessary bureaucracy in company and commercial law.
MoreJanuary 2012
Increase in unfair dismissal qualifying period will apply only to new employees
From 6 April 2012 the qualifying period of service for making a claim increases from one to two years.
MoreJanuary 2012
Maximum compensation for unfair dismissal increases from 1 February 2012
Annual revision of employment tribunal award limits and other amounts payable under employment legislation.
MoreDecember 2011
Health and safety laws to be cut by half
Government plans to slash health and safety red tape will mean substantial savings for small firms, business groups have said.
MoreNovember 2011
Weight Watchers case: the importance to employers of employment status.
The Upper Tier Tribunal holds 1,700 ‘leaders’ at Weight Watchers were employees for tax purposes.
MoreSeptember 2011
How to Conduct a Disciplinary Hearing
A recent presentation by Employment solicitor, Susan Mayall, setting out the stages for handling a disciplinary, referencing the ACAS Code of Conduct.
June 2011
ACAS Advice leaflet “Holidays and Holiday Pay”
Download the guidance covering arrangements for holidays and holiday pay.
October 2010
Recent Case Study: Commercial Landlord and Tenant - An Authorised Guarantee Agreement
Authorised Guarantee Agreements keep the original tenant on the hook in case a third party assignee defaults; they should be drafted with care.
July 2010
Recent Case Study: Doing Battle in the Boardroom
How Pearson Hinchliffe Commercial Law helped members of the Board of Directors achieve the outcome they sought in their boardroom dispute with a senior executive director.
May 2010
How the Mergers & Acquisitions team helped Lanes Group PLC achieve their LAS sell-off
Drainage specialists dispose £12.3 million majority stake in Lanes Assistance Services.
March 2010
PH Employment Direct
The Employment team at Pearson Hinchliffe Commercial Law have created PH Employment Direct - a user-friendly and simple service that gives you access to the best advice at the end of a phone 24hrs a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
February 2010
Oldham Construction Sector
On 3 February 2010 Corporate Commercial partner Roger Hinchliffe delivered a presentation entitled, ‘Joint Ventures’ to the Oldham Construction Sector group.
January 2010
Debt Recovery Service
With our specialist commercial Debt Recovery service you can significantly increase the speed and likelihood of recovering the money owed to your business.