HR Tip: Behaviour outside work
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: "One of our employees started a fight in a local pub and broke a lot of furniture. Can we discipline him?" A: Probably not. The acid test really is whether the behaviour is likely […]
Any Answers: Upward appraisals
Is it wise to agree to assess your boss’s performance or is an employee that appraises their line manager risking victimisation if the information is leaked? Three members of HR Zone give their cautionary advice to HR manager Rebecca Young, who sought support from the Any Answers forum. Advice from members of HR Zone: “It […]
Does sick pay encourage sickies? By Sarah Fletcher
Many employees believe sick pay is a right not a privilege, but could refusing to pay up improve business by reducing the amount of absence claims that aren’t for genuine illnesses? Sarah Fletcher asked HR Zone members whether sick pay does more harm than good. If you’re on the brink of death, too ill even […]
Business ethics: Why bother?
Philippa Foster Back, director of the Institute of Business Ethics, called on businesses to embrace ethical behaviour in a speech given at the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) annual conference. HR Zone business editor Dan Martin reports. Back started her address by referring to the key ethical words which companies using in their business […]
Pensions bill due to be published
The pensions bill is set to be published next week – and the work and pensions secretary John Hutton has been defending what the government sees as the most significant provision, the raising of the state retirement age.But the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has become the latest organisation to point out that the proposed personal […]
Free online absence management tool available
Tackling absence remains one of the most difficult problems for UK organisations to overcome – now the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Acas and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) have joined forces to develop a free, online absence management tool for line managers.CIPD research has consistently highlighted the importance of line managers […]
Employees hazard too many guesses on speeding and drink driving
Drink-driving and speeding employees are putting employers in breach of safety rules, according to new research. Men are the worst offenders, with over half admitting to breaking the law while driving on business.A survey by YouGov for UK health and safety experts Croner found that 55 per cent of male road users had knowingly broken […]
EU looks to modernise labour laws
The EU Commission has launched a green paper aimed at sparking a public debate on modernising labour law.Much of the legislation the EU has passed has focused on the traditional permanent, full-time employee/employer relationship but new types of contractual arrangement outside this blueprint are becoming increasingly common across the EU.It’s estimated that 25 per cent […]
Ask the expert: Compassionate leave
How should an employee be paid who takes time off because a relative is terminally ill? Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills and Reeve, and Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, explain. The question:“A colleague has taken time off because her father is terminally ill. She does not know when she will […]
£10m women in industry project
A £10 million project has been launched to persuade women to consider careers in male-dominated industries.Up to 10,000 school leavers and women returning to work after a career break will have the chance to test out recruitment and career opportunities previously considered the preserve of men.The two-year initiative is being spearheaded by five sector skills […]
Age discrimination laws failing to bite
There’s a long way to go to eliminate age discrimination according to new research, as 16 per cent of HR managers admit to being aware of discriminatory policies and practices within their organisations. And 28 per cent said they could not confirm that their directors or senior management team were fully committed to eliminating age […]
Minimum wage complaints up 10%
Complaints from staff paid less than the national minimum wage (NMW) rose by 10 per cent during the past year, according to official figures from HM Revenue and Customs.Of the 61,000 calls the helpline received during 2005/6, 2,100 were complaints about non-payment of the NMW, the rest were for help and advice.The hospitality and hairdressing […]
Off the record: Background checks on new employees
“We need to run a background check on a new employee. What information are we entitled to access and are there procedures that we have to follow?” Ranjit Dhindsa, partner at international law firm Reed Smith, explains the employer’s legal obligations. As part of the recruitment process, employers often run background checks in various forms, […]
Benefit schemes and salary sacrifice. By Nichola Ross Martin
Salary sacrifice schemes are not only for employees working for large companies. They can be used to create very flexible employee remuneration packages. All that is needed is a little imagination. By Nichola Ross Martin. Under a salary sacrifice (SS) arrangement, an employee gives up the right to receive part of their pay under their […]
HR tip: Last in, first out redundancy selection
These questions are being answered by Learn HR, a market leader in the provision of HR and payroll training and nationally-recognised professional qualifications. Q: "We practise "last in, first out" when carrying out redundancies. Should this be department by department or across the board?" A: You may choose either method but must then apply it consistently. You […]
Call centre staff suffering from acoustic shock
Increasing numbers of call centre staff are suffering from acoustic shock – yet the call centre industry is doing little to mitigate the damage.Acoustic shock is defined as a sudden or unexpected noise received through headphones or earpiece – symptoms include a constant headache and tinnitus. It can lead to meniere disease – abnormal pressure […]
Acas provides free guidance for coping with festive frivolity
If you’re worried about festive frolics getting out of hand and damaging more than the office photocopier, Acas is the latest organisation to provide free guidance on how to cope.The key is in the preparation – and if you have policies and procedures in place all year round then, says Acas chairman Rita Donaghy, you’re […]
CBI brands skills system ‘dysfunctional’
The national skills system is ‘dysfunctional’, seen by many employers as ‘irrelevant’ and is letting down the country, according to the CBI.The comments came as the CBI unveiled its own four-point plan ahead of the Leitch Report on skills, expected to be published on 6 December, and called on the government to put an end […]
Gender duty to cost local authorities millions
Recent court decisions mean the financial implications of the public body gender duty are greater than anticipated by the government, according to a new report by the Local Government Employers (LGE).The report, ‘Unblocking the route to equal pay in local government’, says the requirement imposed by the courts to backdate pay settlements mean some local […]
Executive rewards fall but still higher than employees’
Executive pay and bonus levels have fallen over the past year – but they’re still running at higher levels than employee rewards.New research from Mercer Human Resource Consulting reveals that the average basic salary increase for executives stood at 5 per cent in 2006, while average bonuses were 37.5 per cent of base pay – […]
