Income protection insurance instead of statutory sick pay
The government is considering replacing statutory sick pay with mandatory income protection insurance to reduce sickness absence costs and encourage earlier returns to work. The independent review, led by Dame Carol Black and David Frost, aims to prevent long-term dependency on sickness and disability benefits while saving employers and taxpayers billions annually.
Happiness and wellbeing during depression awareness week
Depression affects one in five UK adults and costs the economy over £8.6 billion annually. During Depression Awareness Week, employers are encouraged to recognize warning signs, support affected staff with flexible arrangements, and foster a stigma-free workplace that prioritizes mental health and wellbeing.
HR department pays price of false accusations at Renault
Renault’s HR department faced significant consequences after three employees were wrongly terminated based on false industrial espionage accusations. An independent investigation revealed serious flaws in disciplinary procedures and lack of critical review, leading to executive suspensions and resignations. The company agreed to pay substantial damages to the wrongfully accused managers.
Over 20, 000 clinical NHS jobs to be cut
Over 20,000 clinical NHS jobs will be cut in the next three years, despite nurses already struggling with inadequate staffing levels. Research shows 95% of nurses work beyond contracted hours, raising patient safety concerns.
Regional financing to safeguard 127, 000 jobs
The UK coalition government has awarded £450 million in Regional Growth Fund financing to support private sector businesses, aiming to create or safeguard 127,000 jobs nationwide. The first investment round to 50 bidders is expected to directly protect 27,000 positions while generating an additional 100,000 jobs across related industries, with plans to match the funding with over £2.5 billion in private investment.
Ask the expert: Sickness and pay increases
Experts advise on whether employers must give pay increases to long-term sick employees and address redundancy and holiday pay considerations. Legal guidance clarifies discrimination risks, redundancy calculations, and statutory holiday entitlements for absent staff.
Deja vu – the back to work interview
Back-to-work interviews help reintegrate returning employees and address absence patterns. These meetings are most effective when managers focus on welcoming staff, checking their readiness to work, and discussing any necessary adjustments—while handling poor attendance patterns with probing questions about underlying issues.
Could you tweet your job application?
A Brighton publisher is recruiting a digital marketing executive through Twitter, requiring applicants to pitch themselves in 140 characters or less. The innovative approach tests candidates’ creativity and digital skills for the role at Friday Media Group.
50p tax rate could be scrapped
Chancellor George Osborne may scrap the 50p tax rate in 2013 following a review into whether the higher rate generates sufficient revenue. The Treasury plans to determine any changes based on the review findings and announce them in a future Budget.
‘Private cloud’ provides best of both worlds for recruitment firm
A Scottish recruitment firm chose private cloud infrastructure over public cloud to gain control over sensitive data while maintaining accessibility and cost efficiency. Private cloud provides dedicated virtual machines for each customer while sharing hardware, offering better security than public cloud without sacrificing the benefits of cloud computing.
NWM increase: Employer opinion is split
Employers are divided on the impact of National Minimum Wage increases taking effect October 1st, with some calling it moderate and balanced while others warn it’s poorly timed amid economic uncertainty and high unemployment.
The naked office is recruiting
A UK software company called Nude House is recruiting employees for sales and programming roles with an unconventional requirement: applicants must be willing to work completely nude. The naturist-founded firm, which sells promotional ecommerce software, seeks “attractive, young” candidates and plans to conduct interviews in the nude as well.
Paternity leave and payroll
April 2011 brought changes to UK paternity leave laws, introducing Additional Statutory Paternity Pay and allowing fathers to take up to six months off to share childcare responsibilities. While families welcomed the flexibility, employers faced concerns about administrative burden and potential costs exceeding £30 million annually.
IT workers preferring contracts over permanent roles
IT professionals increasingly prefer contract roles over permanent positions due to higher pay and better benefits. According to a Hays survey, 71% of contractors earn around £50,000 annually compared to 26% of permanent staff, while many employers struggle with skills shortages in security, programming, and mobile development.
HR needs to adapt to older workforce
As a third of the workforce approaches age 50+, HR departments must adapt recruitment and engagement strategies to retain older workers effectively. While older employees show higher loyalty and satisfaction rates, employers risk losing productivity if they confuse contentment with engagement and fail to address their distinct motivations around work-life balance and job security.
Report: Paedophile materials being distributed through work networks
A report warns that child sexual abuse material is being distributed through UK workplace networks via USB devices and corporate computers, with offenders exploiting personal work devices to evade detection and share illegal content through anonymous online platforms.
Work placements should be more accessible, says Clegg
Nick Clegg is urging employers to sign a “business compact” to make work placements more accessible to young people beyond the well-connected. The initiative requires paid internships or expense reimbursement and aims to create fair job opportunities based on merit rather than social networks.
Finding new roles for existing staff within your organisation
Retaining talented employees through internal role transitions is more cost-effective than external recruitment. Organizations can reduce turnover and maximize training investment by developing existing staff into new positions, rather than relying on external hiring and temporary contracts.
The question: What are the pro-rata company sick pay waiting periods for part-time employees?
Part-time workers are not entitled to pro-rata adjustments to company sick pay waiting periods under UK law. The Part Time Workers Regulations 2000 requires equal treatment compared to comparable full-time workers, not more favorable treatment, meaning the same waiting period can apply to all employees regardless of hours worked.
Default retirement age: what you need to know
The UK phased out the default retirement age from April 2011, ending employers’ ability to force retirement at a set age. Employers must now justify any retirement age objectively or face tribunal challenges, while many businesses have found flexible working and retaining experienced older workers benefits productivity and staff retention.
