As a matter of law employers must give employees employment contracts which cover the key terms of the employment relationship. As a matter of good practice, and often a resource that can save a dispute from arising or provide the best framework for resolving a dispute, are the non-contractual policies and procedures that can be included in a staff handbook. This can sit alongside contracts of employment to set out how employees are expected to act and how the employer will deal with certain situations.
Dogs at Work Policy
COVID 19 has changed the world and the way people work. As the UK gets back to the ‘new normal’, employees are returning to their workplaces and many of them are asking if they can bring their dog with them. Having pets in the workplace can make it a friendlier and happier workplace, but it can also have its downsides. So, if you’re going to allow your employees to bring their dogs to work, then you’ll need to have in place a policy to cover this.
When you’re drafting a Dogs at Work Policy should ensure it explains who can bring their dog to work, how they book them in, and any restrictions on an employee bringing a dog to work. The policy will also need to clearly set out what a dog can and can’t do when it is in the workplace, the responsibilities of the person who brought their dog to work and what happens when the rules are broken. We also suggest you make it clear that you have the absolute right at your discretion to stop a particular dog being brought into your workplace. This will allow you to decide when a dog is not allowed at work and it will remove the need for you to ‘prove’ that the dog isn’t fit or safe to attend work.
We’ve prepared an example of what a Dogs at Work Policy might look like. It’s a good place to start, but you’ll need to make sure your policy covers the points you think are important to you. You can download our draft Dogs at Work Policy by clicking here.
This article and the policy are provided for general information purposes only and you should take specialist advice in relation to specific circumstances. Whilst we endeavour to ensure that what we say is correct, no warranty, express or implied, is given as to its accuracy, and Atkins Dellow LLP does not accept any liability for error or omission.
