Managing people within the law

Managing people within the law Overview
As HR departments take on an increasingly strategic role and devolve more responsibilities to line managers, it is vital that those line managers are supported by a practical understanding of the UK's ever-changing and increasingly complex employment laws. This programme helps managers make the links between compliance, best practice and performance management so that they not only minimise the risks of Employment Tribunal claims but also reap the benefit, in terms of improved performance, of a proactive approach to the issues involved.
Training objectives
This course will help participants:

• Understand the HR responsibilities of a line manager
• Appreciate the legal background to employment
• Use a robust legal framework for handling employment issues
• Avoid and defend cases of unlawful discrimination
• Make an appropriate selection at interview while remaining within the law
• Handle disciplinary and grievance matters
• Manage short and long term absence lawfully
• Understand statutory requirements for family friendly policies
• Adopt appropriate strategies for managing poor performance
• Manage employee records in line with the Data Protection Act

Format
Participants in this practical two-day workshop are encouraged to take a pro-active approach, using small team discussions, case studies and practical exercises. This helps to ensure a pooling of ideas, knowledge and experience in applying the skills back at work.
We recommend that the group be limited to 12 participants if maximum benefit is to be had from the programme.
If required, a one-day version of this programme can be provided instead, although this would be at the expense of sessions 4, 6, 8 and 10 (and with less time for some of the other sessions too) and the learning would be significantly diminished as a result.
Special features
We strongly recommend that your organisation's policies and procedures are incorporated into the workshop, to help ensure that participants fully appreciate the relevance of what is being taught.
The expert trainer
Alison is an independent HR and management development consultant, specialising in employment law, leadership development and organisational development. Formerly European HR Manager for Kodak, she has also worked within the finance, retail, hospitality, IT and manufacturing sectors. With a highly interactive and dynamic training style, Alison is unerringly focused on the practical aspects of helping people solve problems and achieve objectives. Her enthusiastic and professional approach has won her many clients, including Avis, BP, Daimler Chrysler, Deutsche Bank, Ecotec, Elite Hotels, HSBC, Homebase, Microwarehouse, Procter & Gamble and Standard Bank.
Course outline
DAY ONE

1. Introduction and course objectives
2. What HR responsibilities does a line manager have?
   • The impact on the line manager of the changing role of HR
   • HR responsibilities of the line manager
3. Introduction to UK employment law
   • Statutory employment rights
   • Common law rights
   • Unfair dismissal
   • Constructive dismissal
   • Wrongful dismissal
   • Employment Tribunals
   • Remedies and compensation
4. Defining employment status
   • Employee
   • Fixed-term contractor
   • Agency worker
   • Self-employed
   • Managing agency workers, contractors and self-employed
   • How status is determined by Employment Tribunals
5. Discrimination law
   • Sex and sexual orientation discrimination
   • Race and religious discrimination
   • Disability discrimination
   • Age discrimination
   • Direct discrimination
   • Indirect discrimination
   • Victimisation
   • Bullying and harassment
   • How to prevent and handle complaints
   • Practical exercise
6. Discrimination and recruitment
   • Ensuring equal opportunity
   • Using selection criteria
   • Avoiding direct and indirect discrimination
   • Questions to avoid
   • Note-taking
   • Referencing
7. Managing attendance
   • Managing long-term absence
   • Managing short-term absence
   • Managing the malingerer
   • Essential paperwork
   • Medical certificates
   • Return to work interviews
   • Video-based exercise

DAY TWO

1. Managing performance
   • Legal background to performance management
   • Identifying poor performance
   • Setting targets and measures
   • Giving feedback
   • Informal action
   • Formal action
   • Dismissal for poor performance
   • Follow-up and record-keeping
2. Discipline
   • A fair disciplinary procedure
   • Understanding the requirements of the legislation
   • Dealing with conduct and capability
   • Employees' rights
   • Case study review
3. Grievance
   • A fair grievance procedure
   • Understanding the requirements of the legislation
   • Informal action
   • Formal action
   • Employees' rights
4. Family-friendly rights
   • Managing requests for:
     - Flexible working
     - Maternity leave
     - Paternity leave
     - Parental leave
     - Adoption leave
     - Time off for dependants
5. Data protection and record-keeping
   • Principles of data protection
   • Employees' rights of access
   • Penalties for breaching the Act
6. Conclusion
   • Course review / discussion
   • Employment law surgery - an opportunity for you to ask our tutor for advice on any of your employment issues
   • Close