Office mandates | Why 'blanket' hybrid policies leave firms open to legal risks, lawyer explains

Employers risk discrimination and contractual claims when tightening hybrid working arrangements without consultation or individual flexibility, an employment lawyer has warned.

A “blanket approach” to office attendance could leave employers vulnerable to legal challenge, according to Marie van der Zyl, employment partner at Keystone Law. Her comments come after Santander UK imposed a three-day office requirement on thousands of TSB employees, after the bank was aquired by the former.

The dispute centres on whether longstanding hybrid arrangements have become contractually established, as well as the potential impact on disabled employees, carers and workers who have relocated.

“Whether Santander can require employees to spend three days a week in the office will depend, in part, on what their contracts say about place of work,” van der Zyl said.