Podcasts

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. 

In April each year new limits for are set for compensation in the employment tribunal. With the topic of awards in mind, in our latest podcast Leanne Raven, senior knowledge development lawyer and Michèle Aubertin, employment associate, discuss awards in the employment tribunal through the lens of a recent high profile case.

As we reach the two year anniversary since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, conversations surrounding “hybrid working” remain prevalent among employers and employees. In this podcast, we set out the key issues for employers to consider in relation to hybrid working from a short, medium and long-term perspective.

Happy new year and welcome to our latest employment law podcast.

In this podcast we discuss three hot topics we think will be important for 2022.  These are: 

• the menopause and the workplace; 
• changes to the law surrounding sexual harassment; and 
• flexible working.

As part of the UAE's 'Projects of the 50' (a series of developmental and economic projects aimed at preparing the UAE for its next 50 years), the UAE Labour Law has been subjected to the most significant overhaul in its 40-year history. A new law – Federal Law No. 33 of 2021 – will come into force on 2 February 2022, and will replace the existing labour law, Federal Law No. 8 of 1980. The new law will be supplemented by Executive Regulations, which should provide further detail and clarification on some of the provisions.  Pending the publication of those Executive Regulations, in this podcast, we highlight 50 of the key changes to be aware of, and the practical implications for businesses subject to the new regime.

During the pandemic many employees decided to work remotely from abroad, or got stuck abroad during lockdown, and now many want to continue these remote arrangements.  There are a range of issues to consider when employees work remotely from another jurisdiction.  In our latest podcast we discuss the topic and the main employment law issues employers should consider when dealing with any requests to work abroad. 

In this podcast Emily Aryeetey looks at the first reported whistleblowing case to be decided under the new regime in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

In this podcast Christine Ong discusses the test for breach of confidentiality by an employee.

In this podcast Jezamine Fewins looks at whether an employee can terminate an employment contract before the employment commences.

In this podcast Soazig Préteseille-Taillardat discusses gross misconduct dismissals and tactics where an employee has overclaimed their expenses.

In this podcast Kate Brearley discusses whether a fundamental breach of an employment contract can be "cured" by the employer.

Senior associates Richard Freedman and Rhiannon Davies discuss how competition law can influence workforce matters, from negotiated exits to re-tendering, and why employers need to be aware of the powers and penalties that the Competition & Markets Authority can impose if companies fall foul of competition law.

In this podcast Paul Reeves and Natalie Edwards discuss the challenges of managing employee performance remotely and share some practical tips for ensuring a constructive ongoing dialogue and maintaining employee engagement. 

In this month's podcast, partner Kate Brearley and associate Elspeth Hunt discuss some key employment law topics for businesses to be aware of in 2021.

It has been just over six months since the tragic death of George Floyd on 25 May 2020, which sparked global protests around the world against race discrimination. In this month's podcast, partner Anne Pritam and associate Michèle Aubertin look back on events and consider how the Black Lives Matter movement has cast a spotlight on race discrimination in the workplace. They also discuss an employer's legal obligations to prevent discrimination and practical steps employers can take to protect their workforce.

In this month’s podcast, head of the employment practice and partner Paul Reeves and associate Imogen Heywood will discuss workplace culture and developments since the #metoo movement hit the headlines in Autumn 2017, prompting a renewed and urgent focus on sexual harassment in the workplace.

In this episode, London-based employment partner Kate Brearley and employment partner Kiersten Lucas, who leads our Middle East employment team, discuss the impact of the Covid pandemic on an employer's ability to protect their business from unlawful competition focussing on the challenges presented by remote working and the potential impact on interpreting and enforcing restrictive covenants.

As employers plan and implement return to work strategies, the issue of health testing and screening is at the forefront of the conversation.  In this edition, associate Natalie Edwards in our employment team and associate Katie Hewson in our data protection team consider the burning question of many employers - whether they can require employees to undergo any form of medical tests or checks for Covid-19 before returning to work or whilst at work. In particular, they discuss the interaction of employment law and data protection rights in this area.

In this podcast, partner Anne Pritam and associate Adam Cooke discuss the mental health implications for employees in light of the coronavirus pandemic.  In the employment context, stress and anxiety are likely to have risen; with employees now working from home or perhaps furloughed and many experiencing deep and unsettling concern about their future employment.
 
Following on from the Government’s guidance released last week, it has become evident that many of the lockdown/social distancing measures are to remain in place for the foreseeable future, with only a gradual reduction in their severity. 
 
Anne and Adam discuss the risks employers face if they fail to recognise the risks that work-related stress can pose for their employees, and in turn, the detrimental effect it can have on their businesses.

In our latest employment law podcast, partner Kate Brearley and senior associate Richard Freedman take a look at some key issues presented by furlough leave and discuss why it is important that employers should already be thinking about the challenges the end of furlough leave and a return to work will present.

In this podcast Jezamine Fewins, employment partner in our Hong Kong office, and London-based partner Anne Pritam discuss the obligations of employers in relation to the Coronavirus outbreak. They will provide practical tips on how employers can help to protect their employees whilst continuing to operate their businesses.

The Employment Law (Law no. 2 of 2019) in the Dubai International Financial Centre introduced, amongst a plethora of other changes, more stringent enforcement powers and sanctions to support the existing anti-discrimination regime in the DIFC. Emily Aryeetey, employment senior associate in our Dubai office, and London-based employment partner Paul Reeves, discuss what this means for employers directing greater focus on managing the behaviour of employees to limit the risk of discrimination and harassment claims.

In this podcast, partner Kate Brearley and senior associate Serena Foulkes tackle some of the key issues that can come up when an employer dismisses an employee for misconduct or poor performance. Kate and Serena will look at three key cases and the practical takeaways for employers to consider in dismissal processes.

In our final podcast of 2019, we look ahead to 2020 where partner Anne Pritam and associate Adam Cooke discuss the key employment law changes for next year.

In this month’s podcast, partner Paul Reeves and senior associate Katy Carr follow up on our July podcast which looked at the reforms to the existing IR35 regime in the private sector from April 2020. To help prepare businesses in the lead up to the IR35 changes next year, Paul and Katy will:

• Take you through the background to the reforms;
• Explain how the new regime will work in practice;
• Consider how businesses should assess whether IR35 applies to their contractors;
• Discuss ways businesses can prepare for the reforms.

In anticipation of imminent law amendments, Emily Aryeetey, employment senior associate from our Dubai office, and London-based partner Jonathan Kirsop, who heads up our international data protection and information law practice, look at recent proposals to change the regime in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) to bring it closer into line with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

This month's podcast is the latest in our mini-series on employee competition, which ties-in with the fourth edition of 'Employment Covenants and Confidential Information: Law, Practice and Technique' (Bloomsbury), co-written and co-edited by Stephenson Harwood employment partner Kate Brearley and Selwyn Bloch QC of Littleton Chambers. 

In this month’s podcast, we discuss the recent Employment Appeal Tribunal case of Forbes v LHR Airport Limited and the interplay between social media and employment law. We take you through the key takeaways on how employers can protect themselves from the risks posed by employees posting abusive, offensive or discriminatory posts on their social media accounts.

In this month’s podcast, we look at the roll out of the new off-payroll working rules (also known as ‘IR35’) to the private sector from 6 April 2020. 

In this month’s podcast, our theme is sexual harassment. We cover the definition of sexual harassment under law, lessons learned from recent cases and finally practical points to consider for both sides when dealing with sexual harassment claims.

In this month's podcast, we welcome associate Adam Cooke to the team and discuss the practical implications for employers arising from several recent cases.
 
This podcast will have a particular focus on the pitfalls arising from the wording of employment contracts and policies particularly in the context of benefit schemes, investigations, disciplinary action or the potential dismissal of an employee.  
 
We also provide an update on Morrisons’ appeal to the Supreme Court against the finding of vicarious liability for the data protection breaches of a rogue employee. 

In this month's podcast, we discuss the topic of whistleblowing.

In this month's podcast, we take a look at the topic of redundancy and the more complicated questions received from employers, including how to deal with part-time and fixed-term workers in a redundancy process, "bumping", redundancy and TUPE and how an employer should treat long-term absent employees during a redundancy process.

In this month's podcast, we take a look at the Senior Managers and Certification Regime, which is being extended to all FCA authorised firms on 9 December this year. Partner Purvis Ghani and senior associate Richard Freedman give an overview of the regime and discuss the practical implications for employers including changes to contracts of employment, issues arising from termination and the regulatory reference regime.

In this month's podcast, the first of an occasional international series highlighting the work of our overseas offices, Partner Anne Pritam and associate Nic Mangan take a bird's eye view of some of the key points of interest for companies with operations, or who are considering setting up, in the Middle East.

Welcome to the latest in our series of employment law podcasts.
 
In our final podcast of 2018, we look back at the key developments of this year and look ahead at what is to come in 2019.
 
The topics we focus on include whistleblowing, the gig economy, notice of termination, employer’s vicarious liability and the impact of the #MeToo movement on the workplace.

In this podcast Kate Brearley, partner Kiersten Lucas and associate Natalie Edwards, look at what employers can and should do if they suspect an employee or former employee is, or is planning to engage in, competitive activity.

In this month's podcast we will discuss legal professional privilege in the context of internal investigations carried out into criminal, regulatory and sensitive disciplinary issues. 

This month's podcast is the third in a mini-series on employee competition which coincides with the new edition of 'Employment Covenants and Confidential Information: Law, Practice and Technique' (Bloomsbury), co-written and co-edited by Stephenson Harwood employment partner Kate Brearley and Selwyn Bloch QC of Littleton Chambers. In this podcast Kate Brearley, employment partner Kiersten Lucas, who leads our Middle East employment team, and senior associate Richard Freedman, discuss some of the key issues employers should consider when introducing or varying restrictive covenants.

In this month's podcast, we look at five recent cases and their practical implications for employers.

In this podcast- the first podcast from our specialist immigration law team- we discuss Tier 2 Sponsor duties and what steps employers can take to ensure they are fully Home Office compliant.

In this episode, Barbara Allen, head of employee incentives here at Stephenson Harwood and guest, Tania Bearryman, head of performance and reward management at Intertrust, the global trust, fund and corporate service provider are interviewed by our employment associate Richard Freedman. We find out the answers to the important questions facing employers around funding end-of-service gratuity under the UAE Labour Law.

This month's podcast is the second in a mini-series on employee competition which coincides with the new edition of 'Employment Covenants and Confidential Information: Law, Practice and Technique' (Bloomsbury), co-written and co-edited by Stephenson Harwood employment partner Kate Brearley and Selwyn Bloch QC of Littleton Chambers. In this podcast we will discuss the drafting of restrictive covenants and key points employers should consider at the start of an employment relationship. 

In this month's podcast, we take a look at five recent employment cases and the practical implications for employers.

Sexual harassment has had significant press coverage in recent times. It is important for employers to understand what constitutes sexual harassment and the legal and practical issues they may face. In this month's podcast, we will be discussing sexual harassment. 

In this podcast we look at some key terms to include in employment contracts at the outset of employment to protect the business from competition during employment and from preparatory steps to compete after employment has ended.

With the deadline fast approaching and many organisations having already published or preparing to publish their first reports, we take a look at gender pay gap reporting.

In this podcast we will be tackling some of the key issues around the operation of TUPE. 

In our final podcast of 2017, we look back at the key employment law developments this year and look ahead to 2018.

In this month's case round up, we look at three recent court decisions and their practical implications for employers, focussing on: whistleblowing and unfair dismissal; disciplinary procedures; and restrictive covenants. 

In this podcast we discuss tricky issues for employers when managing sickness absence and provide practical guidance on how to deal with an employee who is off sick.

In this podcast we look at the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the new law coming into force across Europe on 25 May 2018. We will look at the significance of GDPR and focus on how it will impact employers.

In this podcast we look at whistleblowing claims and give some practical tips for employers on how to deal with whistleblowing issues in the workplace.

In this podcast we discuss tricky issues for employers when managing a disciplinary process, including: the role of a companion; covert recording by employees; suspension of employees; cross examining witnesses by individuals; and confidentiality and anonymity of those participating in the investigation.

We look at the practical implications for employers of three recent Court of Appeal decisions, focussing on: what employers need to do to ensure that notice of termination is delivered effectively; key issues when dismissing employees following long term sickness absence; and when resistance to organisational change can constitute gross misconduct.

We discuss subject access requests and give practical tips for employers on how to deal with such requests from current and former employees. We also take a look at the key points on subject access requests that came out of the recent Court of Appeal decision in Dawson-Damer v Taylor Wessing.

In this episode we discuss the new gender pay gap reporting regime that came into force on 6 April this year.