What’s the one thing you never have enough of?

Time. Time to keep your business ticking over. Time to keep your customers happy. And time to manage your HR issues. You’re not alone, that’s why business owners come to us for expert HR advice.

Last month, we gave three different employers fast (and free) answers to staff-related questions they didn’t have time to handle. Here’s what they asked us…

1. “A member of staff has received a temporary driving ban, and can’t drive for my business. Can I dismiss them?”

If they’re a valued employee and the ban doesn’t last too long, you could give them other tasks that don’t involve driving and continue to employ them. That’s even if their entire role needs them to have a licence.

If you don’t have other work for them, you could dismiss them and then hire them back once their driving ban has expired with a new contract of employment.

Are you worried about dismissing an employee who’s lost their driving licence? Call us for advice on 0800 144 4050.

2. “Do I have to give an employee time off work to breastfeed her child?”

The law says you must give breastfeeding mothers a place to rest and lie down at work. But you don’t need to allow extra time off to let women breastfeed or express milk.

If you refuse to consider requests from staff to take time away from work to breastfeed, it could qualify as indirect sex discrimination.

You can help breastfeeding staff by offering flexible working. If your employee either works near their child’s nursery, or their home, you could let them leave work and breastfeed if they want to.

For employees who want to breastfeed or express milk at work, try and provide a room with a lock on the door. Give staff storage facilities for their milk in your workplace where it’s possible, too.

Need help in making your workplace more family-friendly? Get in touch on 0800 144 4050.

3. “An employee has asked to opt out of our auto-enrolment pension scheme. Is this allowed?”

An eligible employee can opt out of your auto-enrolment pension scheme at any time. But to get any money back they have already paid, they need to opt out within 30 days of entering your scheme.

Make sure you keep a written record of their decision to opt out, and stop deducting money from their salary. You won’t need to continue contributing yourself, either.

If your employee opts out, you must automatically re-enrol them every three years. But if the employee wants to, they can opt out again.

Got pension questions that can’t wait? Call us on 0800 144 4050.