Do you think you are entitled to:
1. Turn down an employee request to take annual leave at a time that does not suit the business. YES – so long as you provide the opportunity to take this leave during the leave year.
2. Contact a woman on maternity leave and ask when she plans to return. YES – so long as you do this in a considerate way, and not in a fashion that could be harassing.
3. Ask an employee to take a pay cut. YES – you can ASK! Enforcing such a move without agreement though is likely to be a breach of contract.
4. Ask an employee whether they would be willing to opt-out from the 48 hour limit in the Working time regulations. YES – this is one of the provisions of the Regulations that an employee can choose not to apply.
5. Reject an employee’s request to work flexibly. YES – so long as the rejection legitimately falls within one of the stated business grounds.
6. Reject an employee’s request to be selected for redundancy. YES – in a redundancy situation, you could ask for volunteers but you are not obliged to agree.
7. Dismiss an employee for poor performance. YES – subject to following a fair procedure.
8. Ask an employee about their retirement plans. YES – this would be a reasonable succession planning strategy.
9. Ask a candidate about their general health. NO
10. Retire someone because they have reached the age of 65. NO