We have summarised below some further recent updates for employers managing their way through the current pandemic. As ever, please do get in touch with any questions at all.
New Acas guidance regarding mental health and wellbeing
Acas has now published guidance regarding the impact that Coronavirus is having on workers’ mental health and wellbeing. It follows a recent survey commissioned by Acas that found that nearly two out of five employees working from home felt stressed, anxious or experienced mental health difficulties due to their working situation. It also found that one in two people working from home felt isolated and seven out of ten felt that they were missing the social interaction they would usually have with their colleagues in the workplace.
The guidance covers how to look after your own individual mental health and support staff members’ mental health; how to manage mental health when working from home and the potential mental health challenges faced when having to work outside of the home during the ongoing pandemic.
Click HERE to read the guidance.
New exemption for COVID-19 related reimbursed home office expenses
A new and temporary exemption for tax and National Insurance contributions is to be introduced for expenses reimbursed by employers for home office equipment. This temporary exemption which will have effect from 16 March 2020 until the end of the tax year 20/21 will ensure that no tax liability arises where employers reimburse employees’ personal expenditure on home office equipment arising from arrangements to work from home during the coronavirus outbreak.
To be eligible for the exemption the expenditure must meet the following two conditions:
- that equipment is obtained solely for the purpose of enabling the employee to work from home as a result of the coronavirus outbreak; and
- the provision of the equipment would have been exempt from income tax if it had been provided directly to the employee by or on behalf of the employer.
New guidance from HMRC regarding Employee Car Ownership Schemes
HMRC has updated its guidance regarding the treatment of certain expenses and benefits provided to employees to add a new section about Employee Car Ownership Schemes. Due to coronavirus restrictions, if an employee has not been able to return the car to the dealership or factory for its assessment, there may be an income tax charge on the amount of the loan still owing. The guidance explains how it may be possible for the employee to arrange an extension with the loan provider for a few more months without incurring an income tax charge.
Click HERE to read the guidance.
Please get in touch if you have any questions regarding the issues discussed in this article.
E: enquiries@jma-hrlegal.co.uk / T: +44 (0)1252 821792
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