Zero Hour Contracts “I am thinking of employing a part-time member of staff for the busier summer months in my shop with a zero-hours contract. However, due to the recent disputes between Uber and Deliveroo drivers, such contracts have developed a bad reputation. How can I ensure that my new employee doesn’t become demotivated by

Employee Well-being “After seeing the increase in awareness of mental health within organisations, and how many larger companies are starting to offer support systems for their employees, is it a legal requirement for me to offer mental health support to employees?” Answer: It will depend to what extent. All employers have a legal obligation to

Sekoya was delighted to sponsor Mike Goddard for his London to Paris cycle ride raising money for Cornwall Air Ambulance heli appeal. Please give generously for this amazing cause. It doesn’t continue to fly unless we all help to keep it in the sky! Well done Mike – you did an amazing job!

Holiday Requests “I own a small business which several members of staff have asked for the same weekend off so that they can attend a festival. However, this would mean that I would not have enough employees in the store. Am I entitled to refuse my employees’ holiday requests?” Answer: Many Employers may feel obliged

Flexi-time “Some of my employees have suggested introducing flexi-time hours into the workplace. This appears to be a new trend within many organisations. However, I am worried it will become difficult to supervise. Should I introduce flexi-time?” Answer: First, well done on listening to the needs of your employees and considering their new ideas! It

Question: Many of my friends have had claims brought against them for discriminatory questioning in interviews.  I am currently recruiting for a new sales advisor.  How can I ensure I follow the legal requirements when conducting the interview? Answer:  Perfecting your interview technique can be a challenge! However, we are here to help with some

It is always nice to hear good news and especially on a Monday morning when the weather is glorious. Another fab testimonial from a very happy client with a very tricky situation…. Just a quick thank you for your recent advise on my current employment contract, you made the situation very simple in terms of

We are delighted to have been approached by Plymouth College of Art to present to their students during their “LaunchPad Week”. This is an exciting week for the students as they learn about becoming an entrepreneur, pricing, getting experience and getting in front of the right people. Sekoya will be providing a 1 hour lecture

Question: I run a holiday complex and my staff work various shifts, the last one of the day finishing at 8pm. After their official finish time the staff remain “on-call” until 8am the following morning to welcome any late arrivals etc. Usually they don’t need to do anything between 8 pm and 8 am and

A huge thank you to Cornwall Chamber of Commerce for inviting us to speak at their Key note Speaker at the recent Chamber Big Breakfast at St Mellion Golf Club. It was such an honour to be asked to speak. Donna Negus outlined why employers need to ensure that they comply with Equality legislation and

Question: I recently made a phone call to an employee who is currently off sick. During the phone call the employee got really angry and threatened me with legal action for harassment, claiming that I am not allowed to contact him. Does the employee have a case? Answer: You are absolutely allowed to make contact

Question: Most of our employees are paid monthly, however we do have several who have been paid weekly over many years, and we want to bring them into line with the monthly paid staff. How do we do this? Answer: The first thing you need to do is to write to your staff advising them