Howes Percival will be holding their popular National Employment Conference on Tuesday, 28 June 2022. This year, the National Employment Conference will be held at Whittlebury Hall, near Towcester, Northamptonshire, starting at 9:00am and ending at 4:00pm.
This annual event is aimed at HR professionals and directors, and gives delegates an opportunity not only to receive an update on recent developments in employment law but also to attend workshops to explore key employment topics in more detail.
We are delighted to announce that this year's update on developments in employment law will be presented by a barrister, Daniel Hobbs of 5 Essex Court. As always our team of employment specialists will lead a choice of workshops which give delegates the opportunity to share experiences and interact within small groups.
We are really looking forward to having an “in person” event again this year and this will give delegates the opportunity to share experiences, network and get some time away from the office… or home!
Book a place
Please reserve your place here.
Cost: £350 plus VAT per delegate. The price includes breakfast on arrival, lunch, tea/coffee and refreshments.
Offer: Book before 30 April 2022 and receive one place free for every paid place booked (i.e. book 2 delegates for £350 plus VAT, book 4 delegates for £700 plus VAT).
If you have any problems with the booking process, please email: [javascript protected email address]
Event schedule
9.00am
|
Registration and Breakfast
|
9.30am
|
Introduction and Employment Law Update presented by Daniel Hobbs.
“Dan is highly regarded by clients and has almost 20 years’ experience at the bar. Dan has been conducting employment cases ever since he qualified in 1998. He has represented a very high number of employers and employees before the employment tribunal and the employment appeal tribunal. He specialises in complex and/or high value discrimination and whistleblowing claims. His public and private sector client base is diverse and includes police forces, NHS trusts, banks & financial institutions and large retailers”.
|
11.15am
|
Workshops (see full details below):
1. "Don’t call my name" - How to better manage your approach to employee data subject access requests
2. "Blurred Lines" – Understanding harassment in the workplace
|
1.00pm
|
Lunch
|
2.00pm
|
Workshops (see full details below):
1. "Things can only get better!" - Performance management
2. "Why does everything have to be so complicated?" Managing conflicting HR processes
|
4.00pm
|
Finish
|
Event details
Date: Tuesday 28 June 2022
Time: 9.00am - 4.00pm
Venue: Whittlebury Hall
Address: Whittlebury Hall Conference & Training Centre, Hotel & Spa, Whittlebury, Nr Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8QH
Workshop information
MORNING SESSIONS (please choose 1)
Session 1: "Don’t call my name" - How to better manage your approach to employee data subject access requests
Responding to employee data subject access requests (SARs) can sometimes be time-consuming and difficult to manage. Whilst an inherent individual right under the UK GDPR, SARs can often be used by employees as a tactic at times of dispute, particularly when involved in grievances, disciplinary processes or threatened/actual tribunal proceedings. Employers often fear the unknown and can struggle to control a process that can, if badly managed result in embarrassment, complaints to the Information Commissioner, and claims. In this discussion group, we consider the tactics and strategy employers can utilise to better manage their approach to SARs, including:
- Why it is important that both you and your employee understand properly what is and is not personal data and why this is critical to dealing with SARs effectively;
- Why taking the time to clarify the request with the employee can be helpful;
- Why managing expectations (and what this will look like) with the employee at the outset can be tactically useful;
- How to properly and effectively manage the conflict between an individual’s right to access their data and the right of third parties;
- Why it is important to properly consider the use of exemptions and exclusions under the Data Protection Act when responding to SARs;
- When to decide a request is “manifestly unfounded or excessive” and when to refuse to deal with a SAR; and
- Understanding what an employee can do if they are unhappy with your response to a SAR and how best to avoid/mitigate this.
Session 2: "Blurred Lines" – Understanding harassment in the workplace
Despite the best efforts of legislation (and the fact that employees have more recently been working from home), harassment remains a serious and ever increasing issue for employers. In the Fawcett Society’s report entitled “Tackling Harassment in the Workplace”, 40% of women and a staggering 68% of LGBT workers reported experiencing harassment in the workplace. The Government has committed to introduce legislation to create a duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment, but what is this likely to mean in practice and is your organisation ready?
As part of this interactive session, we will consider:
- What constitutes harassment?
- Banter;
- The potential legal consequences of harassment;
- The responsibilities of the employer in relation to harassment;
- Government reform, a new duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment;
- The reasonable steps defence; and
- What steps you can take to improve/change organisational cultures which result in harassment.
AFTERNOON SESSIONS (please choose 1)
Session 1: "Things can only get better!" - Performance management
Performance management can often be neglected, leading to headaches in the workplace such as a lack of productivity and low morale. Failing to manage performance effectively can also expose your business to potential claims. During this interactive session we will help guide you through how to effectively manage performance so that you can get the most out of your employees, including:
- How to adapt performance management in a hybrid working world;
- Exploring ways you can resolve performance issues successfully before they escalate, including making the most of job descriptions, probationary periods and utilising informal procedures;
- Discussing when it is necessary escalate to a formal process and how to carry out a fair process;
- Practical tips for dealing with tricky issues that often arise during performance management, such as absences and grievances; and
- How to deal with ill health issues affecting performance, including how to: follow a fair process; request and deal with medical evidence; and deal with any potential disability discrimination issues.
Session 2: "Why does everything have to be so complicated?" - Managing conflicting HR processes
What do you do when an employee raises a grievance during a disciplinary process? What happens to an instigated process during a period of sickness? What if management are implicated in any complaint? Can you restart a process which has gone wrong? This session will look how to how to deal with tricky situations arising from aggrieved employees, which includes:
- Tactics for addressing and resolving grievances raised in response to disciplinary action or performance management procedures;
- Dealing with grievances involving employees against other employees;
- Employees who go off sick following an invite to an investigation meeting, disciplinary hearing or performance management/improvement meeting;
- Responding to ET proceedings brought by an employee still in employment;
- Performance managing remote employees; and
- How to deal with the reluctant witness and anonymous complainant.