Right to Work Check Measures to April 2022

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The Home Office has further delayed the end date of the temporary right to work check measures to April 5th 2022, from August 31st 2021.

The UK’s Home Office has further delayed the end date for the temporary right to work check measures to April 5th, 2022. The current temporary right to work check process involves the worker submitting a scanned copy or a photo of their original documents via email to the employer. The employer can then conduct a video call with the worker during which they would hold up the original documents to the camera and check them against the digital copy of the documents.

These measures have allowed employers flexibility when checking and recording the individual’s right to work in the UK whilst also providing a ‘statutory excuse’ against any potential illegal working claims.

Other measures included:

Record on file that checks have carried out ‘adjusted checks on [date] due to COVID-19’
If the worker has a biometric residence permit/card or status under the EU settlement scheme, checks can be conducted using the Home Office’s online right to work checking service while doing a video call – permission must be sought from the applicant.
The Home Office intends to develop a new digital right to work check solution by April 2022, which will account for those who cannot currently use the online right to work checking system, including British and Irish nationals.

Starting April 6th 2022, it is expected that employers will need to either check the employee’s original documents or check the employee’s right to work online. It is understood that employers will need to either check the employee’s original documents, use this new digital solution, or use the online right to work checking system – once the employee has provided the employer access to view their details on the system. The checks must be completed in the presence of the employee, either in person or via video call.

The Home Office will release new guidance ahead of April 6th 2022.

Employers should review internal processes to ensure that they are able to resume checks at the relevant time and ensure that they review files to ensure compliant adjusted checks are completed between March 30th 2020, and April 5th 2022.

We would recommend that the verification of identity and requirements to apply for a DBS check are conducted at the same time as the right to work check, to remove any unnecessary requirements for applicants to present documentary evidence.

We strongly urge all Employers to continue to refer to the Home Office Guidance link below, to ensure they remain compliant with immigration rules on checking right to work during this time.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): right to work checks – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Tips for SSIP Accreditation Applications

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The ‘Pingdemic’

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Workers in the food sector to be exempt from self isolation rules
Workers in key sectors, and particularly in the food supply chain, will still be allowed to go to work if they have been told to self isolate by NHS test and trace so long as they test negative for coronavirus.
The new exemptions, which are expected to come into force this week, are in response to widespread concerns that critical businesses could be forced to close because of staff shortages caused by individuals being told they need to self isolate.

There are literally 3 unique ‘people’ elements to protect Your business & Your people

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What is HR ? Really, why do we need it as an SME?
There are literally 3 unique ‘people’ elements to protect Your business & Your people
1. Talent – Do you have the right people, with the right skills, in the right job roles?
2. Organisation – Do you have the right culture, are Your people happy, motivated, positive & ‘tip top’ productive, to win the market right now?
3. Leadership – Do you have the right leadership & people management capabilities & management style, to maintain or support your business growth, to reach ultimate Success & keep up with Your Competition?
We thrive on helping you to build a positive & healthy culture; by implementing and slotting together, the various components like a jigsaw, we support and help you to move away from directive management (if this is the case) to holding developmental coaching conversations).
Interested? Then get in touch now for a friendly chat with Dee Newton, Our HR Consultant.

e-Learning ‘Bootcamp’ Free Training

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Empower Your People with this FREE Training
We are excited to have partnered with Training Sensei Bootcamp
We can offer this FREE to Our Craven Consultancy Community
Bootcamp is a few minutes per day of some of the most stylish digital learning on the planet, brought to you in a light-hearted event
Get your team thinking, boost personal skills and start to make learning part of your organisation’s culture
All you need to do is to visit; https://trainingsensei.com/bootcamp/
& enter the code CRVN984 to take part
Check it out & invite Your Team – what’s not to like folks !

Rethinking Profitability – How SME’s can rebuild after Covid-19

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As we emerge out of what is hopefully the last lockdown, employers have important decisions to make on how to reopen the workplace safely.  For many companies, rebuilding means trying to return to pre-COVID levels of business and traditional ways of working.

With many businesses continuing to focus on reducing overheads with a view to returning to normal, pre-COVID-19 levels of profitability in the near future, businesses who champion a strong company culture and invest in their talent will reap the benefits as the post-pandemic recovery continues.

Championing a strong and responsible company culture is no longer a box-ticking exercise – it’s a fundamental part of business growth.

One of the ways SMEs can achieve this is by looking at performance and employee data. Analysing the detail behind the data will often highlight areas where behaviour is impacting costs.

However, that traditional view of improving your financial strength may not be possible at the moment, or it may take too long. To thrive after the pandemic, businesses may need to completely rethink their route back to profitability.

For example, when we look at overheads, all too often some of these are simply viewed as the cost of doing business, with many leaders not realising the positive impact that people management can have on optimising costs and improving profit margins.

Rethinking profitability: How SMEs can rebuild after COVID-19 (globalbankingandfinance.com)

Our HR Consultant Dee Newton, loves working with SME’s to create and build positive cultures; including analytics, continuous improvement and people management strategies. 

Mental Health Awareness Week: 10-16 May 2021

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Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place on 10-16 May 2021 and this year’s theme is nature.

What is Mental Health Awareness Week and why does it matter?

Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event when there is an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health. The Mental Health Foundation started the event 21 years ago. Each year the Foundation continues to set the theme, organise and host the Week. The event has grown to become one of the biggest awareness weeks across the UK and globally.

Mental Health Awareness Week is open to everyone. It is all about starting conversations about mental health and the things in our daily lives that can affect it. This year we want as many people as possible – individuals, communities and governments – to think about connecting with nature and how nature can improve our mental health.

However, the Week is also a chance to talk about any aspect of mental health that people want to – regardless of the theme.

What do you actually want people to do during the Week?

The Week is an opportunity for people to talk about all aspects of mental health, with a focus on providing help and advice.

This year we want people to notice nature and try to make a habit of connecting to the nature every day. Stop to listen to the birdsong, smell the freshly cut grass, take care of a house plant, notice any trees, flowers or animals nearby. Take a moment to appreciate these connections.

We also want people to share images/videos/or just sound recordings of the nature on your doorstep (and how this made you feel) on social media using #ConnectWithNature and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

Why was Nature chosen as the theme for the Week?

The theme was chosen because being in nature is known to be an effective way of tackling mental health problems and of protecting our wellbeing.

This seemed particularly important this year – in the year of a pandemic. Our own research has shown that being in nature has been one of the most popular ways the public have tried to sustain good mental health at a challenging time.

Our hope is that by growing awareness of the importance of nature to good mental health – we can also work to ensure that everyone can share in it.

Nature is something that is all around us. It can be really helpful in supporting good mental health. Our ambition is to try to make that connection clearer for both individuals and policy makers.

How do you define Nature?

By “nature” we mean any environment in which we can use our senses to experience the natural world. This could include the countryside, a park or garden, coast, lakes and rivers, wilderness, plants or wildlife closer to home. It could also include nature that you can see or interact with in or from your home.

Aren’t there much more important mental health priorities than nature at the moment?

We are not saying that nature is the only priority that is important. And nature is not going to solve all mental health issues. But connecting with nature can play an important part in improving people’s mental health and make us feel better about ourselves.

During lockdown, nature has played a vital part in supporting mental health. According to our own research, last summer half of people in the UK said that being in nature was a favoured way to cope with the stress of the pandemic.

What about people who can’t access nature?

This will be a key part of the Week. Many people find it hard to access nature because of where they live or because they have no outside space. We will use the Week to launch new policy requests to enable greater access for people to nature. This can include making parks feel safer to use or planting more trees in our streets or asking developers to include plants and green spaces in their designs.

Wellbeing Strategy

“Starting a conversation about mental health doesn’t have to be difficult.” 

For any business, it is important to encourage employees to look after themselves and each other. Healthy, happy staff are more productive, and take less time off work due to sickness. We can help to develop your Wellbeing Strategy including: 

  • Developing a programme of initiatives to promote mental and physical wellbeing
  • Educating employees and managers on topics such as emotional intelligence, resilience and stress management
  • providing pragmatic advice on health and wellbeing issues which impact on the workplace
  • reviewing your working practices to create a supportive culture.

Get in touch with us now to see how we can help you develop your Wellbeing Strategy. 

RIDDOR reporting of COVID-19

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Who should make the report?

This is the “responsible person”, usually the employer.

Under what circumstances should you make a report

The reporting requirements relating to cases of, or deaths from, COVID-19 under RIDDOR apply only to occupational exposure, that is, as a result of a person’s work.

What to report

You should only make a report under RIDDOR when one of the following circumstances applies:
• An accident or incident at work has, or could have, led to the release or escape of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). This must be reported as a dangerous occurrence.
• A person at work (a worker) has been diagnosed as having COVID-19 attributed to an occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a case of disease.
• A worker dies as a result of occupational exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a work-related death due to exposure to a biological agent.

Dangerous occurrences

Dangerous occurrences are certain unintended, specified events, which may not result in a reportable injury, but which do have the potential to cause significant harm.

For an incident to be reportable as a dangerous occurrence, the incident must have resulted (or could have resulted) in the release or escape of coronavirus.  That is, led to a possible or actual exposure to coronavirus.

Cases of disease: exposure to a biological agent

When deciding if a report is required, the responsible person must make a judgement, based on the information available, as to whether or not a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 is likely to have been caused by an occupational exposure.  That is, whether or not there is reasonable evidence that a work-related exposure is the likely cause of the disease.

The report should specify a disease due to exposure to a biological agent.  The case of disease report form should be used.

Work-related deaths due to exposure to a biological agent

For an incident to be reportable as a death due to occupational exposure to coronavirus there must be reasonable evidence that a work-related exposure caused the worker’s death.

The responsible person should notify the enforcing authority by the quickest practicable means, without delay, and send a report within 10 days. The report should specify death due to exposure to a biological agent using the “case of disease” report form.

 

Further information can be found on the HSE RIDDOR reporting of COVID-19 page here https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/riddor/index.htm

Key Changes to CDM Regulations 2015

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The CDM Regulations are changing from the 6th April 2015; the regulations will now also apply to domestic clients and will focus on the pre-construction phase of the project. There is a transitional period of six months to transfer to CDM 2015 for current projects.

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Bad Air Day Website

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There is a new ‘Bad Air Day’ Website. The Welding Fume Team is a  group brought together by HSE, with the aim of promoting awareness and highlighting the potential risks to respiratory health from exposure to welding and thermal cutting fume.  www.badairday.info