Hallett & Co were pleased to support the 60th Point to Point at Aldington at the weekend

We are delighted to announce that Hallett & Co have joined forces with Sittingbourne firm FordLittle, with effect from 1 October 2021. As part of the agreement, Giles Ford, previously of FordLittle, will become a partner in the merged form and continue to run the Sittingbourne office.

In light of the easing of lockdown restrictions and the vaccine rollout, people will be beginning to see progress toward a transition to normalcy, albeit no doubt with a degree of apprehension and hesitation. With a return to normalcy, businesses will be keen to balance a potential increase in activity with a desire for its employees to take some well-earned holiday leave.

I recently received an instruction from an employer client who was concerned that a number of its employees were regularly ‘pulling sickies’ and that they did not know how to manage the situation. ‘Pulling a sickie’ is not a new issue for employers, perhaps best highlighted by the fact that 1st February of each year has been coined National Sickie Day. However, whilst it is not a new issue, it is an issue that must be handled with reasonable care and procedurally correctly.

Hallett & Co are pleased to announce that our Abbie Self is now a Partner of the firm.

Hallett & Co are pleased to announce that our Sophie Wakelin is now an Associate Solicitor of the firm.

Hallett & Co would like to wish its client Chloe Williams the best of luck as she continues to impress on the Ladies European Tour.

As the country continues to adjust to easing lockdown measures, businesses find themselves also easing restrictions in inviting employees to return to the workplace and visitors through their doors. It is therefore imperative that employers understand to what extent they are opening themselves up to Employment Tribunal claims by asking either employees or visitors for proof of vaccination. To that end, what are fair and objective reasons for asking for proof? What risks might arise when employees or visitors refuse to provide proof, and what legal claims might arise as a result? These are all issues I will deal with in this article.

Mental health is not a new issue in the workplace, but its recognition and importance continues to grow. As public figures from a broad spectrum of industries, including Tyson Fury, Anne-Marie and Zoella, continue to advocate an acceptance of talking openly about their issues with mental health, workplaces must also ensure that they have the ability to have open and authentic conversations with their workforce about mental health in a safe and secure environment.

This week marks National Apprenticeship Week across England. Hallett & Co currently have a Solicitor Apprentice, Bethany-Jo Bevis, at the firm. Bethany has been with us since September 2016 and started her Solicitor Apprenticeship with the University of Law in September 2018. The apprenticeship is a level 7 course stretching of 5-6 years where Bethany studies for a LLB in Law and Legal Practice and will qualify as a solicitor.