Government considers raising school leaving age
The education secretary Alan Johnson has confirmed the government is considering raising the school leaving age to 18.Talks have been ongoing since Gordon Brown called for the move at the Labour Party Conference and press reports indicate that a green paper may appear in the spring.Under the proposed timetable, the move would affect around 330,000 […]
Government announces increase in holiday entitlement
Legal holiday entitlement is to be raised from 20 days a year to 28 under new government proposals.The increase, which will be part of the Working Time Regulations, comes after unions pressurised the government to stop employers including bank holidays as part of the 20-day entitlement.It is likely to be introduced in two stages, rising […]
Consultation on support for workers’ reps launched
The government has launched a consultation on the support workers’ representatives receive in the workplace.The move follows a review into the facilities and facility time available to workplace representatives, it found there are at least 15 pieces of legislation covering the various types of worker representative.Some representatives have statutory entitlements while others, particularly non-recognised union […]
Ask the expert: Grievance or not?
An employee readily agreed to cover for sickness absence but later resigned and is now claiming constructive dismissal on the grounds of bullying and harassment. How should this be treated? Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, and Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills and Reeve, offer legal advice. The question:We recently asked […]
HR tip: Retirement – Interim arrangements
HRD & Payroll Solutions continues to bring HR Zone members a range of HR and payroll tips in 2006. A market leader in the provision of HR and Payroll training and nationally recognised professional qualifications, HRD & Payroll Solutions are highly experienced in teaching about common HR and payroll problems. A wide selection of tips, […]
Is the government moving towards positive discrimination?
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published a report it commissioned from the University of Bristol into programmes that help tackle low levels of ethnic minority unemployment.As HR Zone reported last week, the DWP has also published a separate report into the commercial benefits of diverse workforces.The Bristol report, by Dr Ravinder Singh […]
Executive Development – Who’s the Boss? By Dan Martin
They might not like to admit it, but occassionally even big bosses needs training. That’s where executive development comes in. With a plethora of options from a variety of providers available, getting help to make the head honchos even better at their job isn’t a problem but what can be more challenging is deciding who […]
Would I lie to you?
Up to a third of workplace communications involve some distortion of the truth and 15 per cent involve lying.But the chances of a truthful response are higher if the question is asked face-to-face rather than by phone or email.And the chances of a truthful response via email or telephone are enhanced if colleagues have developed […]
Permanent staff placements reach three year high
The latest Report on Jobs reveals that permanent placements reached a 33-month high in December as demand for staff continued to strengthen.Published by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation and KPMG, the report also reveals the sharpest rise in temp billings for four months.But while there was an increase in job vacancies during December, there was […]
High court demands CPS review of corporate manslaughter decision
A high court judge has ruled that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) must review its decision not to prosecute for corporate manslaughter in the case of a 17-year-old who died within a week of starting work.It is only the second time in legal history that the courts have intervened in a case involving a fatality […]
Engaged? Probably not. By Matt Henkes
Many workers know how it feels to be unengaged with their employer, and if so, will unfortunately be familiar with the accompanying sense of paralysing indifference this brings to their work life. It’s a damaging and demoralising situation for everyone involved. But there are steps that can be taken by employers to swing the pendulum […]
Pension schemes or healthcare? You must be mad
Paul Avis, director of Employ-Mend Ltd, argues that healthcare benefits are a much better option than pension schemes – but given the profits available for the people selling you pension programmes, it’s hardly surprising we’re putting ourselves at risk of financial ruin if our health fails us. Think transferable benefits rather than immediate ones- You […]
“The needy and the greedy”: Why diversity plans should be scrapped
Denis W. Barnard, director of consultancy HR Means Business, criticises the current trend for pushing racial and gender diversity in organisations; a strategy which suggests the workforce should be composed not of the best employees, but of “the needy and the greedy”. A recent HRzone article floated the idea of “positive action” as part of […]
Vision at work – a health and safety reminder
With so much work being done by computer, employment law firm Peninsula has issued a reminder about the health and safety duties employers owe to their screen-tied workforce.With some employees spending 35 hours a week sitting at their workstations, it’s little wonder that 90 per cent of display screen equipment (DSE) users report visual fatigue […]
Government clamps down on minimum wage avoidance
Employers who refuse to pay the minimum wage face increased penalties under a new government policy.Those who fail to pay minimum wage arrears within seven days of an enforcement notice now face additional fines of £200 per employee. In addition, if prosecuted they face fines of £5,000 plus a criminal record.Trade and Industry secretary Alistair […]
HR must break down the trust barrier
HR’s resolution for 2007 should be to break down the barrier of lack of trust in the workplace, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) annual trends check.The Barometer of HR Trends and Prospects 2007 reviews CIPD research from last year and considers the outlook for the labour market in the year […]
Transsexual loses discrimination case
A transsexual who is suing Hitachi Data Systems on both sides of the Atlantic in the biggest ever transgender sexual discrimination case has lost the British leg of her claim.Jessica Bussert, formerly Josh, claimed £500,000, alleging she had been demoted to secretarial tasks after a period of sick leave following surgery to feminise her face […]
Messy desk? Have £7 million. By Sarah Fletcher
Writing this article was a real challenge, mostly because it took me all morning to find my keyboard under the horrors littering my desk: piles of paper, mould-filled mugs and a random collection of objects with no apparent use in the workplace – a potato peeler, tapes for a dictaphone lost years before I was […]
Employers beware! Harassment and the legal risk
Barrister Charles Price warns employers to exercise caution when disciplining and dealing with staff due to the risk of harassment cases. Employers beware! You can be sued for harassment.Sometimes a case can be decided which has a silent but significant impact on how employers should conduct themselves. Recently an employee, Mr Majrowski, claimed that his […]
Stress management: The facts
The impact of stressed employees upon motivation, productivity and cost makes it an issue that employers must address with urgency. In a new column for HR Zone Annie Lawler, director of Breathing Space for Business and member of HR Zone, explains the issues underlying stress and how to manage it. Welcome to this, the first […]
