How Businesses can Best Prepare for Brexit

Recently, attitudes towards Brexit have taken a very pessimistic turn. Many are advising businesses across the UK to prepare for the worst, and expect chaos.

While there is certainly cause for concern, with a huge amount of issues affecting businesses still up in the air, it is possible to weather the storm.

Firstly, if a deal is reached, businesses will have a two-year transition period that will extend to 2020, and will allow for time to adjust to the new agreement.

In this scenario, we may not necessarily have more clarity, but we will have more time. In the case of a no-deal Brexit, things get a little more complicated. Any transition period would probably be lost, and we would fully separate from the EU on 30 March 2019.

Ideally, we would be aware of whether or not the UK will have a deal a few months prior to the deadline, giving businesses some time to prepare and much-needed clarity.

For businesses worried about a no-deal Brexit, or those employing EU workers, here is some guidance:

How to prepare

We are now less than eight months from the date on which the UK leaves the EU, but it has yet to be decided what sort of relationship we will have with the bloc going forward – with potential knock-on effects for a transition deal.

This is causing uncertainty in a number of areas, not least in the area of employment law, since a significant proportion of UK employment laws derive from EU law – including provisions around discrimination, collective consultation obligations, TUPE, family leave, working time regulations and the rights of agency workers.

For now employers need to keep a watching brief.  It is unlikely there will be any dramatic short-term changes whatever transpires, however businesses employing EU nationals will need to keep a close eye on any changes to immigration requirements.

Their EU workers will need to get clearance via the EU Settlement Scheme if they wish to continue working in the UK; any EU worker who is subject to the scheme and doesn’t get clearance will be working illegally and this can leave employers open to the risk of significant fines.

Expert Support

If you require support or assurance on Brexit uncertainties, please contact a Croner expert for clarity, on 01455 858 132.