A good year for babies? Maternity in 2006 and 2007. By Sarah Fletcher
Explore maternity provisions and legislation changes in 2006-2007, including the Work and Families Act’s impact on paid leave, statutory benefits, and flexible working options for pregnant employees and new parents in the UK.
Age laws challenge referred to Europe
Heyday’s legal challenge to UK age discrimination regulations has been referred to the European Court of Justice. The challenge questions whether the UK law properly implements the European directive outlawing age discrimination, particularly regarding mandatory retirement ages and protections for workers over 65.
HR Tip: Different disciplinary offences
When an employee commits different types of misconduct, you don’t restart your disciplinary procedure unless you have a separate process for specific issues like health and safety. You can progress to the next sanction level if the previous warning remains valid and the new offense is proven.
Disability Equality Duty – DRC will see you in court
The Disability Equality Duty now requires 45,000 UK public bodies to publish disability equality schemes and consider disabled people’s needs in service planning. The Disability Rights Commission will enforce compliance through court action against organizations failing to meet these legal obligations.
Lunch breaks: Myth v reality
Half of UK employees don’t leave their desks for lunch, with many feeling guilty about taking breaks. Research shows skipping lunch reduces productivity and energy, while taking proper breaks and eating balanced meals boosts work performance and long-term health.
Workplace relations: ‘a marriage under stress’
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that workplace relationships are under strain, with poor communication and lack of recognition leaving employees feeling undervalued. The study reveals that only 30% of workers are engaged, while 47% are actively seeking new employment, highlighting the need for managers to invest in employee satisfaction and recognition.
Any Answers: IVF and cosmetic surgery
Learn how to develop fair time-off policies for IVF treatment and cosmetic surgery. An HR expert explains why distinguishing between elective and medically necessary procedures is key, and how denying paid time off for NHS-recommended treatments could expose employers to sex discrimination claims.
Overtime: Just plain cruel. By Sarah Fletcher
Working overtime carries serious health risks including stress, illness, and workplace accidents, yet the UK’s long hours culture persists. A government report urges employers and staff to challenge this damaging trend by valuing those who leave at official home time rather than glorifying overwork.
Maximum performance: Managing talent seminar
Learn how leading organizations identify, manage and retain top talent to prevent performance gaps. This seminar review covers key strategies including behavioral competency models, talent pool development, and practical approaches to recognizing high performers across all organizational levels.
Straight talking wins in leader communication
Employees rank CEO communication skills as the most important leadership quality, preferring authentic, straightforward dialogue over vision-setting or business acumen. Research shows considerate leaders who communicate directly, avoid jargon, and welcome feedback earn higher trust ratings than controlling communicators who are viewed as patronizing and insincere.
Job future worries for UK workers
UK workers are the most pessimistic globally about job security, with one-third fearing redundancy in the next year. A new survey shows confidence has plummeted 9 percent since May, with 77 percent now believing it would be difficult to find comparable employment if made redundant.
Work-related stress and dismissal
Dismissing an employee absent due to work-related stress isn’t automatically unfair, but employers who caused the illness must take extra steps like offering alternative roles or accepting longer absences before termination. Courts may award compensation for lost earnings in such cases.
Review of working time regulations announced
The Department for Transport has announced a review of working time regulations for road transport workers, which set a 48-hour average weekly limit and 10-hour maximum for night shifts. The review will examine key issues including how waiting time is classified and the administrative burden on businesses, with findings expected by August 2007.
Smoking ban start date July 1
England’s smoking ban in enclosed public places and workplaces begins July 1, 2007, covering company cars used by multiple employees. Employers are urged to prepare early, with the Department of Health offering guidance through the Smokefree England website.
Ask the expert: Grievance during redundancy
When an employee ends a redundancy trial period without notice and leaves immediately, they typically aren’t entitled to notice pay unless the employer has a contractual payment-in-lieu clause. The key distinction is between employees who give notice (owed pay in lieu) versus those who leave without notice, whose entitlements cease upon departure.
Pensions Bill finally published
The government has published its Pensions Bill, which gradually raises the state retirement age to 68 by 2046 and introduces automatic workplace pensions. The bill also credits caring work toward full state pensions and aims to simplify private pension systems.
Tribunal system gets a shake-up
The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill aims to strengthen enforcement of employee tribunal awards by treating them as high court judgments, eliminating costly additional fees claimants currently face when employers fail to pay. This aligns England and Wales with Scotland’s system and addresses a long-standing issue where an estimated one in 20 awards go unpaid.
Incentive pay – Getting it right. By Dan Martin
Incentive pay schemes can boost staff motivation and productivity, but poorly designed or managed programs can damage organizations. HR experts warn that success requires distinguishing incentives from bonuses, aligning schemes with company culture, and establishing clear performance goals and measurements.
Colborn’s Corner: Outsourcing: Need we worry?
The CIPD argues that outsourcing poses minimal threat to HR jobs, despite sector warnings of decline. While many organizations outsource specific HR functions like payroll and advisory services, large-scale HR outsourcing arrangements driven primarily by cost savings may not deliver the benefits organizations expect.
Statutory increases to tribunal compensation announced
Tribunal compensation awards are increasing from February 1st, with unfair dismissal basic awards rising from £4,000 to £4,200 and compensatory awards from £58,400 to £60,600. The maximum weekly pay for redundancy calculations also increases to £310.
