COVID-19: Live employer Q&A: Furlough updates and "COVID-secure" workplaces

Our Employment Law and Health & Safety Directors are hosting regular interactive Q&A sessions to walk employers through the latest developments and answer any questions you may have.

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Tune in live: Tuesday 2nd June
15:00 - 15:30

With the government due to review lockdown measures again on 28 May and the Chancellor set to announce further details around the extension of the furlough scheme, our Director of Legal Services, James Tamm, and Director of Health & Safety Services, Nick Wilson, will be hosting a live update session to dissect all major talking points and offer practical advice on ensuring the safety and stability of your workforce as more businesses are given the green light to reopen.

While we cannot predict what will be announced by the government, any easing of lockdown measures will naturally impact businesses, and common challenges may include re-thinking your organisational structure, dealing with ongoing staff absence, handling flexible working requests, managing employee communications, and ensuring health and safety due diligence. We will be offering clear, practical advice on some of these scenarios and giving you an opportunity to submit your questions to our experts so that you can minimise disruption and legal risk in the months ahead All of these aspects will undoubtedly come under the microscope as many businesses plan and implement a phased return to work.

Due to the high relevance of this topic and the need for clear, concise advice, our last two virtual training sessions have been oversubscribed and we received hundreds of questions. Please rest assured that even if we don’t have time to answer your question during the Q&A, we will respond to you personally afterwards.

To support employers through the constantly evolving staffing and safety challenges COVID-19 presents to businesses, we are continuing to host regular interactive Q&A sessions to walk employers through the latest developments and answer any questions you may have.

These 30-minute events aim to keep you abreast of the latest government guidance, alert you to some common pitfalls, and help you to manage your responsibilities confidently in the coming weeks and months.

Need advice now?

Visit our free Coronavirus Advice Hub to watch our last COVID-19: Live employer Q&A on demand. Here, you can also download a range of useful resources, including helpful guidance notes, sample letters and policies, and risk assessment templates, which are updated regularly to reflect current government guidance.

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About the Hosts

Since qualifying as a solicitor in 2007, James has specialised in employment law exclusively.

His practice includes advising on a full range of non-contentious issues, encompassing disciplinary matters, redundancies, grievances, restructures, TUPE and industrial relation disputes.

James also has extensive experience in dealing with Employment Tribunal claims, including representation in a full range of unfair dismissal cases, discrimination claims, protective awards, TUPE and whistleblowing claims.

James previously headed the Litigation Team at Ellis Whittam before going on to become Head of Employment Law and then Director of Legal Services. In his current position, he is responsible for delivering the Legal Team’s strategic objectives, with direct line management responsibility for a team of approximately 45 lawyers.

Nick is a Chartered safety practitioner and Director of Health & Safety Services at Ellis Whittam.

Having spent more than 25 years in the field, formerly as an HSE Inspector and later working alongside defence lawyers in a busy legal practice, Nick has seen the challenge of delivering safer practices in the workplace from both sides.

A former council member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, Nick has an extensive knowledge of health and safety legislation and its transposition into practical risk control measures within the workplace.

His nationwide team of consultants support thousands of clients with their health and safety needs through a combination of site visits and remote support, with the aim of simplifying compliance and helping employers fulfil their duty of care.