Employers urged to let staff commute smart
Work Wise UK’s Commute Smart Day urges employers to adopt flexible working arrangements, staggered hours, and home working to reduce commuting burden, improve staff wellbeing, and lower road casualties during darker winter months.
CVs rejected in under 60 seconds
Employers reject most CVs in under 60 seconds, with irrelevance to the role being the primary reason. A two-page, traditionally formatted CV with a tailored covering letter remains most appealing to recruiters.
TUC: ‘stress biggest problem for UK workplaces’
Stress is the biggest problem facing UK workplaces, with 61% of union safety reps citing it as their top concern, according to TUC research. Excessive workloads, job cuts, and rapid change are the primary triggers, with stress costing businesses £3.7 billion annually in lost productivity.
£1.84 billion investment in jobs and skills
England will receive £1.84 billion in European Social Fund money over seven years to support employment and skills training programmes. The investment targets disadvantaged people facing employment barriers and those lacking basic qualifications, with funding coordinated through regional partnerships.
Should older workers hit the scrapheap? By Sarah Fletcher
New age discrimination legislation aims to address the pensions crisis by keeping older workers employed longer, but HR directors often view them as expensive and resistant to change. Evidence suggests age-based employment decisions rely on stereotypes rather than proven productivity differences, raising questions about whether the law will succeed if employers maintain age bias.
Any Answers: Positive action or positive discrimination?
Positive action in recruitment differs from positive discrimination. Legal positive measures include targeted advertising and removing unnecessary barriers like experience requirements, while quotas and preferential hiring based on group membership risk resentment and undermine merit-based employment decisions.
Ministers of religion can be unfairly dismissed
An employment appeal tribunal has ruled that ministers of religion can pursue unfair dismissal claims, overturning the historical distinction between them as office holders and employees. The decision aligns unfair dismissal protections with existing discrimination law for religious ministers.
Falls from height ‘not falling’
Falls from height remain a leading cause of workplace injuries and fatalities, with low-height falls often causing the most serious consequences. According to Norwich Union’s claims data, many employers fail to implement basic safety controls required under the 2005 Working at Height Regulations, leaving workers at significant risk.
40% believe they’re victims of discrimination
A survey of 70,000 people across 28 countries found that 40% of UK job hunters believe they’ve experienced discrimination in the past five years. Age discrimination is the most common form, cited by 17%, followed by race, gender, and disability. The UK ranks among the lowest for workplace discrimination globally.
Guidance published for equality schemes
The Disability Rights Commission has published guidance on the disability equality duty, which takes effect in December 2006 for all publicly funded organisations. The guidance includes sector-specific advice and addresses single equality schemes covering race, disability, and gender duties.
So, what are you doing for Christmas?
UK employers face conflicting concerns about Christmas parties, with surveys showing vastly different planning rates. While many want to reward staff, legal worries over discrimination claims and workplace conduct are prompting some to cancel celebrations entirely.
336,000 jobs paid below minimum wage
Government figures show 336,000 people earn below the national minimum wage, with teenagers and part-time workers disproportionately affected. The Office for National Statistics found 4.3 percent of 16 to 17-year-olds and part-time workers three times more likely to receive below-minimum-wage pay.
Gender pay gap costs women £210,000
Over a working lifetime, the gender pay gap costs women £210,000 after tax and national insurance, according to the Equal Opportunities Commission. The gap stands at 17.2 percent based on basic pay, with the EOC calling for new laws requiring employers to actively address pay inequality.
Government to help businesses fund childcare
The government is launching a £16.8 million programme to help small and medium-sized businesses fund workplace childcare. Delivered through regional development agencies, the scheme aims to help parents balance work and family life while supporting employers in providing accessible childcare for their staff.
Ask the expert: Challenging sickness claims
Employers can request an independent medical examination to verify illness claims, but cannot force employees to undergo blood tests. An employee’s refusal to participate in such investigation may not provide sufficient grounds for disciplinary action without additional supporting evidence of misconduct.
HR pay gap increasing
The pay gap between HR professionals in London and Northern Ireland has widened by 13 percent since 2002, with London personnel officers earning £29,087 compared to £23,838 in Northern Ireland, according to a CIPD reward survey of over 6,500 HR professionals. Despite higher wages, London-based HR staff report the lowest job satisfaction levels at just 37 percent.
Age regulations force change in NHS redundancy structure
The NHS has restructured its redundancy package to comply with new age discrimination regulations, replacing age-related thresholds with a flat rate of one month’s pay per year of service. The changes, agreed between NHS Employers and trade unions, provide transitional protection for existing staff over 50 while ensuring fairer treatment across all age groups.
Age discrimination and vital staff training
The new Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 require employers to train staff on age discrimination laws to avoid liability. Employers can be held responsible for employees’ discriminatory conduct unless they take reasonable preventative steps, making staff training on harassment and age-neutral policies essential for legal compliance.
Tribunal finds apprenticeship wrongly terminated
A tribunal awarded a former apprentice £24,000 in compensation after ruling his employer wrongfully terminated his modern apprenticeship. The tribunal found that traditional apprenticeship protections—preventing early termination—also apply to modern apprenticeships, and that the employer unfairly dismissed him based on attendance issues.
Pay settlements falling behind inflation
Basic pay awards of 3 percent in September fell short of the 3.6 percent inflation rate, according to IRS analysis of 99 pay settlements covering over 711,000 employees. Performance-based awards reached 3.5 percent, leaving workers with declining real wages amid rising prices.
