Your Questions, Answered
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Yes. Even small businesses face HR responsibilities such as handling employee queries, managing leave, dealing with grievances, and staying compliant with employment law. Without proper support, these issues can become time-consuming and risky
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Interrupt daily work
Require repeated answers
Often involve checking policies or regulations
Over time, this reduces productivity and distracts from running the business.
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Yes. It can be aligned with your company policies to ensure answers are consistent and relevant.
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No. It handles routine questions instantly, while complex or sensitive issues are supported by human HR experts.
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It can be escalated to a qualified HR consultant for proper support.
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No. Phronesis provides guidance, not legal advice. For legal matters, professional advice should always be sought.
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You have 30 mins of free telephone or email advice each month. If the HR issue being dealt with is complex and the time spent advising exceeds the initial 30 mins then there will be a charge which will be discussed before any further work is undertaken.
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Item deYes. Phronesis is designed with GDPR and data protection in mind.
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Waiting for responsesPaying per call or interaction
Limited availability outside working hours
Repetitive queries handled manually
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Provides instant answers instead of delaysHandles routine HR questions automatically
Includes human expert support for complex issues
Offers predictable monthly pricing
Frequently asked HR questions
A growing library of practical, plain-English answers to common HR and UK employment law questions for SMEs.
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Yes. UK employers are legally required to provide employees and workers with a written statement of employment particulars from the first day of employment.
This document should explain the key terms of employment, including pay, hours, holiday entitlement, notice periods and other important conditions.
Further information
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The National Minimum Wage is the minimum hourly rate that most workers must legally receive.
Rates vary according to age and apprenticeship status and are reviewed annually.
Further information
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The National Living Wage is the highest statutory minimum hourly pay rate and applies to eligible adult workers.
Employers must ensure workers receive at least the correct legal minimum.
Further information
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Most full-time workers are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks' paid holiday each year.
Part-time workers receive a pro-rata entitlement.
Further information
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Redundancy arises where:
A business closes
A workplace closes
The need for employees to undertake particular work reduces
It is not simply another form of dismissal.
Further information
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Statutory Sick Pay is the minimum amount eligible employees may receive when they are unable to work because of illness.
Some employers provide enhanced contractual sick pay.
Further information
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A disciplinary procedure explains how employers investigate and deal with allegations of misconduct or poor performance fairly.
Most employers should follow the ACAS Code of Practice.
Further information
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Gross misconduct refers to behaviour serious enough that it may justify dismissal without notice.
Examples may include:
Theft
Fraud
Violence
Serious bullying
Serious breaches of health and safety
Each allegation should be investigated fairly.
Further information
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A fair dismissal normally requires:
A potentially fair reason
A fair procedure
Employers should investigate concerns, meet with the employee, allow representation where appropriate, consider alternatives and provide the right to appeal.
The law recognises five potentially fair reasons:
Conduct
Capability or qualifications
Redundancy
Statutory restriction
Some Other Substantial Reason (SOSR)
Even where one of these reasons exists, employers must still follow a fair process.
Further information
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Constructive dismissal occurs where an employee resigns because the employer has fundamentally breached the employment contract.
Examples include:
Unlawful pay reductions
Bullying
Serious breaches of trust
Significant contract changes without agreement
Further information
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TRUST & SOURCES
How we source and cite our guidance
Every answer in this HR FAQ library is grounded in authoritative UK sources. Below you'll find some examples of the ACAS Codes of Practice we align to as an illustration, some of the GOV.UK guidance hubs we reference, and a plain-English explanation of how we cite sources in our responses. These are illustrations only not a complete list.
ACAS Codes of Practice
ACAS Codes of Practice are statutory documents. Employment tribunals must take them into account when assessing whether an employer acted reasonably. Phronesis guidance is aligned to these codes.
How we cite sources — our policy
Phronesis is built around source transparency. Here is exactly how we approach citations in every response.
Primary legislation
We reference Acts of Parliament (e.g. Employment Rights Act 1996, Equality Act 2010) and statutory instruments as the authoritative legal source.
ACAS Codes of Practice
Where an ACAS Code applies, we align our guidance to it. Employment tribunals are required to take these codes into account when assessing employer conduct.
GOV.UK guidance hubs
We link to the relevant GOV.UK pages so you can verify entitlements and obligations directly from government sources.
Confidence labels
Every Phronesis response includes a confidence rating. Where the law is clear and well-established, confidence is high. Where facts are missing or the situation is nuanced, we say so.
Escalation triggers
When a scenario involves discrimination, whistleblowing, TUPE, collective redundancy, or tribunal risk, we recommend escalation to a qualified HR professional rather than relying solely on AI guidance.
No invented sources
Phronesis is specifically instructed never to fabricate legislation, case law, or statistics. If we cannot verify something, we say so.
Important disclaimer: The guidance in this FAQ library is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice. Employment law is fact-specific ; outcomes depend on individual circumstances, contract terms, and the specific facts of each situation. For complex or high-risk scenarios, always seek advice from a qualified HR professional or employment solicitor.