Covid -19 Policy

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Adams Harrison Covid-19 Policy

29th Sept 2020

Keeping you safe, keeping us safe:

  • Please only attend at our offices by prior arrangement.
  • Our offices remain closed to the public except by prior appointment. We continue to provide telephone or video conferencing appointments.
  • Please come to your appointment alone unless you are instructing Adams Harrison with others. You should only attend in any event with others from one other household than your own, in line with the current Government Guidance.
  • All visitors must wear a face covering when entering our offices. If you consider you are exempt from wearing a mask then a face to face appointment will not be possible. Your consultation with us will need to take place remotely. Therefore, please advise at the time of making your appointment if you are unable to wear a mask so an appointment by remote means is arranged.
  • All visitors to our offices will have their name and contact details recorded. This is in line with Government regulation and linked to “Track and Trace” requirements. The information will be retained for a minimum of 21 days.
  • To maintain a Covid 19 free environment for all visitors and staff, if any of our colleagues complain of feeling unwell and/or exhibit Covid 19 symptoms, they will be asked to undergo a simple, contactless temperature test. The outcome of this will determine whether they remain at work or are directed to return home to self isolate.
  • We have Perspex screens in our interview rooms. These help keep you and us safe.
  • Please try to arrive on time. Try to avoid arriving early or late for the purpose of social distancing.
  • Please wash your hands thoroughly before leaving home and come straight to our office.
  • If travelling via public transport to our office please adhere to the Government requirement to wear a face covering.
  • Hand sanitiser will be available and all visitors will be requested to sanitise their hands when entering and leaving the office.
  • Initially, we will be working without our reception team and will not be opening our waiting rooms. Therefore, upon arrival please telephone the office or ring the bell so that you can be given access to our office by the person you are meeting.
  • In the Saffron Walden office please attend at the rear door to gain entry. In Sawston and Haverhill please use the front door on the High Street.
  • Please avoid touching surfaces in our office unnecessarily.
  • Toilet facilities will not be made available during your visit.
  • We will keep at least 1.5 metres social distance from you during the consultation.
  • After each appointment the desk, chairs and door handles of the meeting room used will be cleaned using anti bacterial surface wipes.
  • We will be scheduling less appointments per day than normal to comply with social distancing regulations and to allow for cleaning between appointments.
  • You will be invited to leave our office as soon as possible after your appointment to aid in social distancing.
  • If you need to make payment we would prefer this to be carried out on line or by telephone. We will not, however be accepting cash payments.

Be alert for COVID-19 symptoms and please do NOT attend but instead reschedule your appointment if: you are experiencing any signs & symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, sore throat, tiredness, fever, loss or change in sense of smell and/or taste), or exposure to anyone with suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
If you are currently shielding or self-isolating and would like any help or legal advice please call us as we can assist you with telephone advice.
Be safe and keep well.

If you are currently shielding or self-isolating and would like any help or legal advice please call us as we can assist you with telephone advice. Be safe and keep well. For any enquiries please call: 01799 523441 or 01440 702485 or 01223 492160 or e-mail: [email protected]

Be safe and keep well.

What Is A Deed Of Variation?

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You may be surprised to learn that it is possible to alter someone’s Will after their death, providing that any beneficiaries left worse off by the changes agree. The changes can be made by what is known as a deed of variation.

If someone dies intestate (without a Will) then the intestacy rules govern who inherits. A deed of variation can also be used to change the inheritance in the same way as if there was a Will.

There are various reasons why it may be a sensible idea to change a Will or redirect inheritance under the intestacy rules. These include:-

  • to reduce the amount of Inheritance tax (IHT) or Capital Gains Tax (CGT) payable
  • to provide for someone who was left out of the Will
  • to move the deceased’s assets into a Trust
  • to clear up any uncertainty over the Will

Deeds of variation are a useful inheritance tax (IHT) planning tool because any inheritance from an estate that is redirected to others will be treated as if the deceased made the gift. This means that the person allowing the redirection does not have to survive the gift by seven years in order for it to fall outside of their own estate and therefore not be subject to IHT. A common example would be a child who is to inherit from their parent’s estate. If the child is already financially sound then they may not require the inheritance which would only increase the size of their estate, giving rise to further IHT charges on their own death. In this situation, the child may wish to redirect the inheritance to their own children who could benefit from the money.

It is important to know that a deed of variation must be made within two years of the date of death. Furthermore, once a deed of variation is signed it cannot be revoked so it is paramount that careful consideration is taken before entering into a deed of variation.

For more information, please contact our Wills and Probate department for expert and professional advice.

Update To Haverhill Office Reception

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We have updated our reception area at our Haverhill office to improve our client’s experience when visiting us. Our new layout enables us to keep clients and staff safe in a Covid 19 secure environment. We remain ready to meet and greet clients who have a pre arranged appointment with their lawyer.

Adams Harrison Haverhill Reception 01 Adams Harrison Haverhill Reception 02

What Happens When The Furlough Scheme Ends?

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The Five Rs

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) was introduced in March by the Government to enable organisations to keep staff on payroll and not make them redundant but send them home. It served two purposes – ensuring people stayed at home at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst enabling people to keep their jobs. As it is fundamental to the employment relationship that the employer provides work and the employee undertakes work in order to avoid a breach of contact, the furlough period could only be put in place with the employee’s express agreement. “Furlough”, prior to March was not a term that had ever been used in relation to employment contracts/relationships.

Employers are now contributing to the scheme but with the Government still contributing 70%. In October employers will be contributing 20%. The Chancellor has made it clear there will be no further extensions to the scheme. It will end on 31st October.

So, what happens to the millions of people on furlough on 1st November:-

RETURN TO WORK – the ideal would be that the staff member returns to their job and full pay. There is no specified notice period that should be given to an employee that they are required to return, unless something specific was agreed at the start of the furlough leave.

REDUCTION IN HOURS/PAY – this can only happen if the staff member agrees to this. An employer cannot force a reduction in hours or pay. Some employees may be willing to agree to this to avoid losing their job.

REDUNDANCY – if the employer has become insolvent then there will be a redundancy situation. If the employer cannot afford to pay redundancy then the Government National Insurance Fund scheme may be able to assist employees. Employees will only be eligible for statutory redundancy pay if they have at least two years continuous employment. Redundancy pay should be calculated in accordance with the employee’s full pay, not any reduced pay whilst on furlough. If the employer no longer has a need, or has a reduced need for employees of a particular kind, this will fulfil one of the statutory definitions of redundancy. How the employer consults and selects those identified for redundancy will determine whether a dismissal for redundancy is fair in accordance with the Employment Rights Act 1996.

REMAIN AT HOME – the employer could discuss with staff the idea of working from home to assist with social distancing in the workplace. An employee cannot be forced to work from home if their contract of employment provides for a different place of work.

REFUSE TO RETURN – if an employee refuses to come back to work the employer will need to address the reason for the refusal and possibly address any concerns that mean the employee will not/cannot return, including if they are vulnerable and have worries about Covid-19 transmission.

If the employee is not invited back to work and/or is kept on reduced pay then this is likely to amount to breach of contract and potentially a constructive unfair dismissal.

Time is running out. If a genuine redundancy situation arises then the employer must still give notice that the employment is ending for this reason. The contract may dictate the notice period, but statutory minimum notice periods will apply in that one week’s notice for each complete year of service must be given, up to a maximum of 12 weeks.

If an organisation plans to make more than 20 staff redundant there must be a minimum consultation period before any notice of termination is given of at least 30 days.

It is going to be a difficult time for employees and employers so we are here to give the legal advice to guide you through it.

Contact Jennifer Carpenter, solicitor and partner with 20 plus years of providing employment law advice and representation to employees and employers.