Employers and the cost-of-living crisis

With a rise in the cost of living, for some employers, there comes a rise in efforts to ease their employees’ financial difficulties. For those employers, however, it’s not without its

potential implications WORDS BY EMILY MILLER

Many employers are recognising the effects of the cost-of-living crisis on their employees and are adopting ways to help. As Keeley Baigent, Director at ksabLAW tells me, they are doing so in a variety of ways.

“From one-off cost-of-living payments to pay rises, early bonus payments and temporary monthly added payments, employers are rising to the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis.

“Yet, there are implications with this that employers are becoming aware of,” Keeley adds. “They are giving cost-ofliving payments to their employees with very good intentions, however the way that the payments are being calculated and the level of these to different categories of employees could have implications later.”

What could those implications be? “The main issue is that the payments may be made in a potentially discriminatory manner in respect of the protected characteristics of age and/or sex. The intentions are good, but if how the payments are made and to whom is not thought through the employer could be at risk of a claim,” Keeley warns.

These repercussions can be avoided though, with thorough planning and perhaps staff consultation. A chat with someone like Keeley will prevent any unexpected repercussions of your well-meant intentions.

The good goes a long way, both in terms of supporting your employees and how they feel about their workplace as well as the positive word-of-mouth results when recruiting or retaining staff it encourages.

If employers haven’t yet considered this concept, it’s worth doing so for the potential benefits, aside from having staff wellbeing at the forefront of their minds.

Book a free consultation with Keeley on 07761 813360.

KEELEY BAIGENT, DIRECTOR AT KSABLAW

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