This year I have started suffering the winter blues very early. They’re not really winter blues so much as Westminster blues. Brexit and parliamentary activities calculated to delay any proper decision, have once again cast uncertainty over the future.

However secure you think you are, life can throw googlies in the way, so it’s sensible to make provision for the occasional “rainy day” by having the equivalent of three-six months’ worth of household expenses in an easy access bank account.

Some months ago, a client agreed to allow an employee to take voluntary redundancy with an enhanced tax-free payment. Good result, you might think. What’s not to like?

Meaningful consultation is an essential part of the redundancy process. It involves talking to employees who will be affected about the reasons why redundancy is proposed, alternatives to redundancy and the selection method for reducing numbers of employees.

In life unavoidably there is death and we will all suffer a bereavement from time to time. If the funeral falls on a working day, do employees have the right to attend?