Acas Publishes New Guidance on Employee Suspensions

Acas has published new guidance to help employers who are considering suspending a staff member during an investigation.

The guidance covers deciding whether to suspend someone, the suspension process, supporting an employee's mental health, and pay and holiday rules during the suspension.
The guidance recommends that suspension should only be used when there is no reasonable alternative. This is because of the stress caused to employees and their colleagues and the risk that suspending an employee could breach their employment contract.
Suggested alternatives to suspension include:

• Changing shifts, site, or working from home
• Collaborating with different customers or away from customers
• Stopping working with certain systems, tools, or on specific tasks

Employers should make clear to a suspended worker that the suspension does not mean that a conclusion has been reached concerning any allegations of wrongdoing. It is also vital to ensure the suspension is kept as short as possible, and that the employee receives full pay and benefits.

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