Olympic logistics employment l
Mike Tremeer, an assistant solicitor, and Nick Tstasas, a partner and head of employment at Fladgate LLP, look at how the forthcoming Olympic Games will impact on employers in London and the UK.
Olympic trial T
he Olympic Games 2012 arrive in London in just a few months’ time, and many employers fear that they will bring considerable disruption to business operations. As a logistics business, planning ahead and preparing for the inevitable will be key to minimising disruption to logistical operations and keeping your business running smoothly. There are ways in which disruption may be avoided, or at least better managed.
Transport
The majority of events will be taking place in and around London. The capital’s already busy road networks are likely to be further congested by increased users and the formation of
special ‘games lanes’ to be used by officials and competitors only. Deliveries and journeys into and around London will be affected as a result.
However, employers may also be indirectly affected as employees find that their normal commute is disrupted or takes much longer. Employers should warn employees of the likely traffic hotspots and suggest that they consider alternative routes to work and modes of transport, if necessary, to ensure that staffing levels are maintained.
Alternatively, introducing flexible working hours to avoid travel at peak times, reducing business journeys unless absolutely necessary and allowing employees to work from home or remotely if possible are other ways in which travel disruption may be reduced.
Employee absence
Holiday leave is likely to be especially popular during the games, with employees wishing to soak up the atmosphere of events adding to the normal school and summer holiday requests for leave. Employers should review expected business levels in advance and consider what steps will be required to maintain numbers in the workplace and services to customers. This will be particularly important for those hoping for an increase in business during the games. The Working Time Regulations 1998, which govern holiday leave in Great Britain, allow employers to refuse holiday requests if necessary in order to maintain operations during peak periods. Unless varied by a contract of employment or specific policy, employers must give employees the same amount of notice as the length of the leave requested to refuse it – for
24 ShD March 2012
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example, a minimum of 10 days’ notice must be given to refuse a request for 10 days’ leave.
Employers may also experience an increase in levels of sickness absence during the games from employees who were refused holiday or who did not request it. Reminding employees of the reporting requirements when unfit for work, and also that abusing the sickness policy may result in disciplinary action, should reduce unwarranted absence and will provide a solid footing for disciplining those who do.
Offering overtime to those who wish to work additional hours during the games and providing viewing facilities in the workplace (to be used at agreed times only) may also reduce the level of employee absence.
Temporary workers
Hiring temporary agency workers during the games is another option. However, the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 came into force in October 2011 and mean that agency workers must be provided with access to childcare, canteen facilities, transport services and any other collective facilities offered to permanent staff from day one of their assignment. Agency workers must also be provided with information about permanent vacancies with the employer from the same time. Agency workers who remain assigned to an employer continuously for 12 weeks or more will also be entitled to equal treatment with permanent employees in respect of “basic working and employment conditions”. These conditions include pay, rest breaks or night work and so may make this a less attractive option for employers. ●
www.fladgate.com
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