Welcome to another HR:ER round up! Our HR consultancy tackles when are you too fat to work, what happens when a senior employee lies about their qualifications, and what happens when police seize company property after an employee has been arrested.
Tune in below…
When Are You Too Fat To Work?
The HR Emergency:
An employee, due to morbid obesity, had already required three custom-made chairs, each costing thousands of pounds. The employee had requested another specialised chair after outgrowing the current one which become an unsustainable cost for the small business.
We Diagnose:
- What are the employer’s legal obligations if no health conditions contribute to the employee’s obesity?
- How can HR address an employee’s weight when it affects job performance?
- If accommodation costs become unsustainable, what are the company’s options for the employee’s termination?
- Could denying accommodations for weight be considered discrimination?
Emergency Measures To Stop Your Business From Its Own HR Emergency:
As long as obesity isn’t tied to health issues or hasn’t led to health-related complications, the costs only need to be reasonable for the business to bear. For a small business, purchasing specialised chairs represents a significant financial burden.
If the goal is to enhance health and well-being, it’s more effective to ask employees directly what benefits they would find most helpful – rather than simply offering perks like pizza on Friday’s.
Fired or Hired: What Happens When Employees Lie About Their Qualifications?
The HR Emergency:
Natalie, a senior accountant on track for a promotion to director, was asked to provide proof of her chartered accounting qualifications – only to reveal that she wasn’t qualified to do her role.
We Diagnose:
- How could this slip through during hiring?
- What are the legal and financial risks for the business?
- Does this dishonesty qualify as grounds for termination?
Emergency Measures To Stop Your Business From Its Own HR Emergency:
Your hiring and onboarding processes need to be thorough, such as checking references and verifying qualifications during interviews. In industries offering chartered services, like accounting, hiring unqualified employees can even invalidate your insurance so it’s imperative these are in place.
Keep your interview process up to date and aligned with the current needs of the company, rather than relying on outdated practices from 15 years ago.
What Happens When Police Seize Company Property?
The HR Emergency:
An employee, involved in a major criminal drug ring, had their work computer seized by police. The issue only surfaced when the employee requested another computer for work, prompting our further investigation.
We Diagnose:
- What should an employer do first when an employee’s work devices are confiscated by the police?
- What legal obligations must an employer follow when law enforcement requests company property?
- Could any security tools or systems have detected or prevented this situation earlier?
Emergency Measures To Stop Your Business From Its Own HR Emergency:
Thoroughly vet employees and have a strategy in place for situations like this. The business sought legal counsel from Hroes, which was critical – without it, they might have unknowingly violated the employee’s bail by providing him with another computer, putting the company at legal risk.
Additionally, proper monitoring and security tools could have prevented this by flagging the dark web sites he was accessing and tracking the time spent on them.
Are You Ready To Make Your Workplace Disaster-Free?
As we wrap up this HR:ER round-up, we hope these real-life scenarios and emergency measures help to save your business from its own emergency. If you’re seeking guidance on any of these topics, don’t hesitate to reach out for expert employment advice from our experienced advisors and lawyers!
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. For your own HR emergency, email us at HRER@hroes.co.uk or reach out directly, and we’ll treat it for you. Don’t forget to subscribe below!