Fat is not an employment law issue
All the worrying about an obesity epidemic has spilled over into employment law, according to one law firm.DWF says it has noticed employers are beginning to query whether it’s acceptable to refuse to hire obese candidates.The answer – in most cases – is that employers are within their rights to refuse to hire obese candidates. […]
Repetitive administration: why don’t we learn from the past? By John Pope
John Pope, a management consultant with over 40 years’ experience, begins a new exclusive column for HR Zone looking at the strategic issues to affect HR. This month he considers the way in which administrative workers are frequently treated like battery hens, but why showing respect for your staff can reap impressive benefits. The Bad […]
New limits for unfair dismissal and redundancy payments
Tomorrow (Thursday) sees the annual index-linked changes to the limits on payments and awards made to workers in employment rights cases come into force.The new maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal is £60,600 – up from £58,400 – while the basic award has risen by £200 to £4,200.‘A week’s pay’ for the purposes of calculating […]
NHS can now reclaim treatment costs of work injuries
Employers are likely to see a hike in their employer’s liability insurance as a new scheme has come into force this week which enables the NHS to reclaim the costs of treating workplace injuries.The Injury Costs Recovery (ICR) scheme means that the NHS is able to recover costs from insurance companies for treating patients in […]
‘Go back to the drawing board’ government told
The government should ‘go back to the drawing board’ in its review of the statutory dispute resolution procedures says the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).A new study from the CIPD, Managing conflict at work, has reinforced the message that the dispute resolution procedures have made managing conflict at work more complex and failed […]
Talking away stress. By Annie Lawler
In the second of a new series on stress in the workplace, Annie Lawler looks at how poor communication affects staff stress levels. One of the key causes of stress in the workplace is poor communication; not only in terms of communication between management and employees, but also between colleagues. The culture of a company […]
Smoking away your salary. By Sarah Fletcher
Being practically perfect, a bit like Mary Poppins, I don't smoke. However, I lovingly accept my smoker friends. In fact, I don't even throw rubbish at them in the street. Unfortunately the Italian Association of Personnel Managers doesn't feel so benevolent and has asked its members to consider slashing smokers' salaries for their cigarette breaks. […]
Ask the expert: Bonus payment
If an employee feels entitled to an annual bonus which the company then removes, what can they do? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills and Reeve, offer legal advice. The question:I have worked for my current employer for six months. On joining the company I […]
Pensions compensation case returns to UK
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that the UK has failed to meet EU standards for protecting workers from losing their pensions if their employer goes bankrupt – but has stopped short of ordering the government to pay compensation.Instead, the ECJ has returned the case to the high court for a final ruling […]
Flexibility key to success
Flexible working is the key employee benefit you can offer according to new research – and it’s as popular with men as it is with women.According to a new study by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), Working outside the box, 52 per cent of men and 48 per cent of women say they want to […]
What can HR professionals learn from the BA dispute?
As BA and the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G) enter another day of talks to avoid this week’s scheduled two-day strike by cabin crew, HR consultants are already keen to work out what can be learned from the dispute.Along with issues specific to BA, two general problems are apparent: the first is the absence […]
The importance of disciplinary procedures
A tribunal case in which a driver was awarded more than £17,000 has highlighted the importance of carrying out disciplinary procedures properly.The BBC reports that Paul Hill, of East Kilbride, who worked as a driver delivering Coca-Cola containers, was dismissed after a client said his breath smelled of alcohol.Bond Retail Services Ltd had denied that […]
Backdated age discrimination bill could top £69 million
The bill for backdated claims under the age discrimination legislation is likely to top £69 million, insurer AXA has warned.HR Zone has previously reported on the case brought by Heyday against the British government over its implementation of the age discrimination regulations. The government has set a retirement age of 65 which, Heyday argues, breaches […]
Sacking by fax costs council £130,000
Walsall Council has paid almost £130,000 in compensation to a worker who received a fax sacking her while she was on sick leave.The case between the council and Elizabeth McDonald was settled during tribunal proceedings in which she was claiming £500,000 for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination. The figure was based on an estimate of […]
Work-life: Assisting the balancing act. By Matt Henkes
Employees in today’s busy world can often feel like they are struggling to juggle their career and social life. However, there are ways to help them attain the balance they need to perform at their best. Matt Henkes reports. While there is as yet no clear consensus on the exact definition of Work Life Balance […]
HR Tip: Confidential witness statements from colleagues
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Question: "We have been told by two of our employees that one of their colleagues committed a serious breach of our strict health and safety regulations, which put the safety, and perhaps even […]
Using subliminal influence in interviews – intelligent dressing
In job interviews many of us plan for the types of questions we might get asked, many plan the types of questions we want to ask. However, do we do all the things necessary to give us an advantage? This includes subliminal messages given by our choice of clothes and our mental state when we […]
Diversity counts: An answer to ‘the needy and the greedy’
A recent article by consultant Denis Barnard argued that diversity programmes encouraged promotion of ‘the needy and the greedy’. In answer to this feature, Lauren Chesney, an HR professional working in Toronto for a top-five Canadian bank, argues that diversity is crucial for all organisations. Racism. Prejudice. Ignorance. Those are three big dirty words that […]
Employers to drive skills development
Following the changes proposed in the Leitch Report, the government has launched a consultation on changes to further education – proposing that employers should be in the driving seat.The proposals include: Enabling employers to determine the content of qualifications and advise on curriculum design Allowing employers to choose their preferred further education providers Learner accounts […]
Strikes: Best avoided. By Matt Henkes
In an industrial dispute, the threat of a strike is the trade unions’ trump card, and one which they will tell you that they are loath to pull. The ramifications of such stoppages are far reaching, and affect everyone, from shareholders, management and executives, to customers, employees and their families.The topic has proved to be […]
