Peter Woodhouse interviewed by LBC News

Employment lawyer Peter Woodhouse was interviewed by LBC News on how businesses can work with employees for a successful return to work.

Peter is Stone King’s Head of Business Sector and Employment Team, and was asked what protections employees have as they negotiate new ways of working.

“The starting point is yes, you have got a contract you’re supposed to work but employees do have protections and they have protections particularly in relation to health and safety,” Peter told LBC News.

“If they have a reasonable belief that danger to their health is serious and imminent they can say no, they don’t want to go back to work and then their employer has a difficult choice.

“The employer can consider doing a number of things, they can dismiss, they can cut pay but both of those carry great risks and they need to decide the action and (how to) balance out those risks.”

Peter was then asked about transport options for those returning to work by presenter Jim Diamond.

Peter said: “I spent a lot of time working in the transport sector and see in particular bus transport as being part of the solution to the problems of getting to work rather than part of the problem about getting to work.

“People have genuine concerns about exposing themselves to others on public transport but there are measures to make spaces safe on public transport, and people who don’t want to use that can cycle or perhaps walk to work or use other methods of transport – there isn’t a single option choice.”