Ask the expert: Double disciplinary
Can two unrelated incidents be covered in one disciplinary hearing or does each complaint require a separate procedure? Martin Brewer, partner and employment law specialist at Mills and Reeve, and Esther Smith, partner at Thomas Eggar, explain. The question:“An employee is currently on suspension following a racist remark being repeated [to other members of staff]. […]
New employees more likely to quit
According to a new survey from the US, twice as many employees with less than two years’ service voluntarily leave an organisation compared to those with longer service.The findings, from Sirota Survey Intelligence’s study of worker attrition rates which covered 47,000 employees, indicate that of all staff who leave in any given year, almost 60 […]
Bullying on the increase says TUC
Bullying is steadily increasing in UK workplaces according to figures released by the TUC to coincide with this week’s ban bullying at work day.Fifteen per cent of the union safety reps questioned in the latest TUC bi-annual survey of union safety reps said bullying was a major problem in their workplace. Two years ago, 12 […]
EU fails to agree working time opt-out – again
For the fifth time, EU member states have failed to agree amended provisions for the opt-out from the Working Time Directive – but this time it leaves 23 countries facing court action.The UK’s opt-out of a maximum 48-hour working week has been a source of discontent among other member states for years and after talks […]
10% fall in female directors
Despite making up 46 per cent of the UK workforce the number of female directors in FTSE companies has fallen by 10 per cent over the past year.The 2006 Female FTSE report from Cranfield School of Management reveals that only 53 companies in the FTSE 100 have women on their executive committees, 30 have all-male […]
Dismissal Q&A
Dismissing an employee is never an easy task and it is vital that employers ensure they take the necessary steps to stay on the right side of the law. Paula Matheson, Senior Employment Law Advisor of Empire HR, provides advice to employers on how to deal with this potentially sticky situation. Q: I […]
Chasing sickness: Getting the return to work interview right
As businesses try to combat the damaging effects of rising rates of employee absenteeism, return to work interviews are taking a prominent place in the process. Training consultant Nik Kellingley explains how to make this work for your organisation. Does the rising tide of absenteeism threaten to wash away the humble British business? Probably not, […]
Case study: Training management at CORGI. By John Stokdyk
This HR Zone case study sets out to throw some light on how training management software can help organisations gain better control of their training and development spend by maintaining accurate, up-to-date records of employee qualifications and courses attended. The subject for this report will be the gas appliance fitters’ inspectorate, CORGI, where automated training […]
HR Tip: Disability
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: "A number of our employees feel that the Disability Discrimination Act discriminates against healthy people because it requires their employer to give preferential treatment to disabled people. We are inclined to agree. […]
Working women: Is positive discrimination the future? By Sarah Fletcher
Encouraging businesses to focus upon retaining and developing female talent may sound controversial, but is there a strong argument for this approach? Sarah Fletcher asked members of HR Zone whether women are the future for talent management. Debates on workplace sexism usually consider the reduced career opportunities and discrimination faced by female employees in a […]
Any Answers: Compassionate leave
Iain Young suggests best practice in creating a policy covering compassionate leave.View the original post We had the following in our handbook and policies:“When family emergencies arise – for example, your child gets hurt at school – please inform your manager that you need some time off and try to give an idea of when […]
Dispute resolution regulations under the microscope
Two years after their introduction and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is already considering revising the dispute resolution regulations because they are considered too complex.The government’s intentions were confirmed to national law firm Shoosmiths after a report was leaked to the press about informal talks between the DTI, unions and employers’ groups. It […]
Spare us the jargon!
It’s official – according to Investors in People (IiP) 54 per cent of UK employees say that management jargon such as ‘think outside the box’ and ‘low hanging fruit’ is a problem in their workplace.According to the poll – conducted by YouGov to mark the 15th anniversary of IiP – employees have a low opinion […]
November news in brief
To go to a story click on the link below: Acas launches free online learning tool Acas launches free online learning toolIn just under seven years only a fifth of the workforce will be white, able-bodied, male and under 45 – that's why Acas has launched its first, free, online learning tool. The e-learning […]
Falls all round for health and safety figures
Official health and safety figures reveal there were large drops in prosecutions and enforcement action in the year 2005/6.But although the number of prosecutions dropped by 23 per cent and the number of enforcement actions dropped by 25 per cent, the Health and Safety Commission figures reveal the number of fatal injuries fell by 5 […]
Corporate manslaughter: check your insurance lawyers advise
As the corporate manslaughter bill makes its way through its committee stages, lawyers are warning companies to check their liability insurance.Insurance law firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC) says that once it becomes law the bill will have implications for employers’ liability and public liability insurance.Although the Home Office’s expectations of a rise from one to […]
How far will workplace monitoring go?
Most of the headlines surrounding last week’s launch of a public debate on the surveillance society concentrated on CCTV cameras.But the report launched by the Information Commissioner Richard Thomas also included the implications for the workplace.The authors of the report – ‘A Surveillance Society’ – point out that workplace monitoring of telephone calls, email and […]
Acas launches free online learning tool
In just under seven years only a fifth of the workforce will be white, able-bodied, male and under 45 – that’s why Acas has launched its first, free, online learning tool.The e-learning tool, on sexual orientation and gender reassignment, aims to provide a practical learning tool to assess an organisation’s position and how any issues […]
Employees’ responsibilities: DTI guide launched
The Department of Trade and Industry has published a new guide giving the rights and responsibilities of employees.It’s designed for both employers and employees. More information and a copy can be found at: Employees’ guide
Quality of life beats salary for four in ten
Nearly 40 per cent of working Brits would be happy to swap a lower salary for less stress and more leisure, according to new research.The survey, by the Prudential, also found that three-fifths of the population would consider downshifting – moving to a house in a cheaper area or moving abroad to increase the quality […]
