Publishing company forced to pay uncontracted intern
A publishing company has been ordered to pay an uncontracted intern over £1,000 after a tribunal ruled she was legally a worker entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay, despite having no written agreement.
Employment law changes ‘creating uncertainty’
Employer groups warn that the UK government’s employment law changes are creating “huge uncertainty” and may discourage businesses from hiring. The coalition government’s “modern workplaces” consultation proposes four key changes, including extended parental leave, broader flexible working rights, mandatory equal pay audits, and new rules for holiday entitlement during sick leave.
Fleet life: Tackling the fuel price problem
Businesses can reduce fuel and mileage costs by up to 24% through better tracking of driver trips and switching to fuel card systems, according to fleet management experts. Online mileage reporting and fuel cards provide visibility into actual costs while eliminating inaccurate expense claims and outdated reimbursement methods.
Timelords and talent management: 8 reasons your talent is like the Doctor
Retaining top talent requires understanding what motivates them: meaningful work aligned with their values, flexibility, growth opportunities, and compelling challenges rather than salary alone. Like the Doctor, talented employees won’t stay still and need room to evolve, making strategic engagement essential for retention.
Coalition to spend £60 million on private sector apprenticeships
The UK coalition government launched a £60 million apprenticeship scheme to create 250,000 work placements for young people aged 16-24 over four years. The ‘Supporting Youth Employment’ initiative also includes a pilot program offering intensive job-search support, though opposition critics argue it’s an inadequate response to rising youth unemployment.
BA strikes peace deal
British Airways and Unite have reached a peace deal ending an 18-month dispute with cabin crew, averting further strikes. The settlement restores travel concessions and includes a two-year pay deal with 4% and 3.5% annual increases, while the union accepts new fleet changes for future recruits.
Report reveals engagement more complicated than we thought
A new report reveals that employee engagement is more complex than previously understood, varying in depth and intensity over time rather than remaining static. Managers must understand what specifically drives engagement for their workforce—including meaningful work, autonomy, positive relationships, and fair treatment—to effectively boost performance.
Employment law reforms may leave employees unprotected
UK employment law reforms proposed by the coalition government could significantly reduce worker protections against redundancy and discrimination. The plans aim to make hiring and firing more flexible for employers while reducing bureaucracy, but critics argue they will leave employees more vulnerable and undermine workplace security.
Self service HR – a cloudy area
Maxwell Systems is consolidating five separate HR systems into a single cloud-based platform to automate administrative tasks and enable employee self-service functions. The new Fairsail HR system integrates seamlessly with the company’s existing Salesforce infrastructure, allowing staff to access HR tools without separate logins. The consolidation will reduce manual data entry for HR personnel and let employees manage their own information, from personal details to performance reviews.
This ain’t a war, it’s a long term talent management strategy
Companies are shifting from viewing talent acquisition as a temporary cost-cutting measure to adopting long-term talent development strategies. Investment in training, internal talent development, and employee retention remains a top business priority even during economic downturns, with organizations focusing on building leadership capabilities and supporting managers in identifying and developing talent.
Lord Sugar – good TV but a nightmare coach, says survey
Lord Alan Sugar has been voted the UK’s worst career coach in a survey by the Institute of Leadership & Management, with nearly a third of managers choosing him over other figures like Simon Cowell and Alex Ferguson. Sir Richard Branson topped the list of preferred coaches, while the survey found that professional coaching significantly improves workplace performance when delivered by skilled professionals.
Secret talks lead to tube strike cancellation
Planned London Underground strikes set to begin next Monday have been suspended after secret negotiations between Transport for London and the RMT union. One dismissed driver will be reinstated in a different role, while discussions continue regarding a second driver’s case ahead of his employment tribunal hearing.
‘You’re hired!’ – what Lord Sugar can teach us about recruitment
Discover key recruitment principles inspired by The Apprentice and Lord Sugar’s hiring decisions, including assessing genuine business needs, avoiding discriminatory advertising practices, and implementing fair selection processes that comply with employment law.
Engineering and science skills priced at a premium
Employers are increasingly paying premium salaries for STEM skills, with 43% reporting recruitment difficulties, according to a CBI survey. The situation is expected to worsen, with employers calling for greater investment in apprenticeships and basic literacy and numeracy training.
Apprentice Katie claims three weeks maternity is enough
Katie Hopkins claims women should take only three weeks maternity leave before returning to work, arguing most mothers shouldn’t need more time off. The ex-Apprentice contestant made the controversial comments on The One Show, sparking debate about parental leave and workplace flexibility.
Public sector pay ‘better than in private sector’
Public sector workers earned significantly more than private sector employees in 2010, with hourly wages up to 35% higher according to a Policy Exchange report. The pay gap widened in most UK regions between 2008 and 2010, particularly affecting the lowest-earning private sector workers who faced steep pay cuts.
US tech giants sued for wage fixing and anti-poaching agreements
Major US tech companies including Apple, Google, Pixar, Intel, and Intuit face a class action lawsuit alleging they conspired to fix employee wages and prevent staff poaching between 2005-2009. The suit seeks restitution for artificially suppressed salaries, claiming workers earned 10-15% less due to anti-competitive agreements.
BA employee sacked after YouTube threats to poison ‘scab’ pilot
A British Airways employee was dismissed after threatening to poison a strike-breaking pilot’s food and making sinister threats on YouTube during last year’s cabin crew strike. The employee claims his brother posted the messages, while his lawyer argues he was suffering severe depression when the comments were made.
Employers working with managers and GPs see fall in sickness absence
Employers that train managers and work with GPs to manage sickness absence are significantly more effective at reducing non-attendance rates, according to a survey of over 450 UK organizations. The study found sickness absence declined from 6.7 days per employee in 2007 to five days in 2010, with companies using formal strategies and targets seeing the strongest results.
New guide to help identify stress risks at work
The British Standards Institution has published PAS 1010, a new guidance document to help employers identify and manage psychosocial risks in the workplace that could cause employee stress. The guide supports best practice implementation to promote staff mental and physical health, with training courses being developed for HR and occupational safety managers.
