In our Ask The Legal Expert Column we get the latest specialist advice from the Employment & HR Team at JCP Solicitors, which has an office in Cowbridge.

Today, Associate Solicitor, Catherine Almeida, advises an employer about hybrid working.

I run a small business and I'm happy to continue with a hybrid working model as the pandemic eases, but I want to adjust contracts correctly so everyone knows where they stand. How do I approach this?

It is vital to put a clear and accessible hybrid working policy in place, as well as specifically tailored employment contracts for hybrid workers. You should approach this collaboratively – consulting upon the policy with staff and where applicable, union representatives.

In having contracts drawn up you might consider:

• Identifying the correct place of work (this might be the office for part of the week and at home for part of the week)

• Including a caveat that the employee is required to attend the workplace sometimes, for meetings

• Are working hours set in stone or flexible?

• Do you want to retain the right to revert to office-based working?

• Who will provide equipment and pay expenses such as phone and internet bills?

Think carefully about protection of Intellectual Property and taking care of your own company data. Who might have access to data if a staff member is home-based? Clauses can be incorporated into employment contracts and policies to mitigate risk.

There are many other considerations to make to ensure you are meeting your legal requirements as an employer and are not putting your company at risk of legal action. Please seek detailed advice from a legal specialist.

For more information contact: [email protected] or call: 01446 771 742.

The question is based upon a hypothetical situation. The content does not constitute legal advice and is provided for general purposes only.