Flexible work: The ‘how’ not the ‘why’
Parents of children under six or disabled children under the age of eighteen have the right to apply to their employer to work more flexibly but what about people without kids? Carol Savage, founder of flexible work specialists Flexworks (formerly Flexecutive), argues that you can get better results, and less peer resentment, by recognising that […]
Pregnancy: ‘More rights than a protected panda’? By Sarah Fletcher
“More legal rights than a protected species panda bear” is how one senior HR advisor describes the attitude of business towards pregnant employees. Is the increase in statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay in April this year from £106 to £108.85 per week a suitable provision for new parents or does it reflect a general […]
Equality commissions fail to bite
A damning new report reveals the three government equality commissioners have made no use of five of their ten powers and little use of the remainder.And the Public Interest Research Unit, which produced the report: Teeth and their use – enforcement action by the three equality commissions, says matters are likely to get worse under […]
Employer lobbying could reduce pensions for one in six
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) claims that lobbying by employers could see a sixth of the workforce lose pension contributions.The Government’s Pensions White Paper backed the Turner Commission’s proposal that employers should pay three per cent of an employee’s wage into a National Pensions Savings Scheme unless the employee opts out, despite opposition from many […]
What’s the answer? Old grievances
Emma Paish gets legal guidance this week from Helen Badger, employment law expert, Browne Jacobson and Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve on managing a grievance dating back three years. The question:An employee during his disciplinary has also lodged a grievance. (He has since been dismissed and is appealing […]
Job hunters target interesting work
Employers who offer interesting work, regular recognition and rewards, and opportunities for quick advancement are the most popular targets for job seekers.But programmes such as corporate citizenship and diversity are not valued as much, according to a survey by Accenture.The purpose of the survey, which questionned more than 4,100 job seekers in 21 countries in […]
New family friendly employment legislation proposed
Parents could be given legal rights to work part-time and choose their employment hours under new proposals being considered by the government.The new rights would also include giving parents paid time off work if a child is ill and compulsory pay audits at work to force companies to reveal if they are paying women less […]
Sick of absence? Causes and solutions. By Annie Hayes
Absence rates continue to average at around eight days and at a cost of around 598 pounds per employee per year so what can be done to encourage workers back to work and is discipline the only way to cap soaring sickness levels? Annie Hayes, HR Zone Editor reports. Rising absence? According to the Chartered […]
Opinion: The benefits backlash
Lynne Currer, product manager, Childcare Vouchers at Accor Services considers the growing resentment towards family-specific benefits and advises employers on how to manage the backlash. The cost of a typical full-time nursery place in England has increased by more than 27 per cent over the past five years. This outstrips inflation by nearly 20 per […]
Briefing: Taking the hassle out of harassment
How can employers prevent discrimination and bullying in the workplace and what systems should they have in place? Do enough employers make use of employee assistance programmes, by providing an independent and confidential counselling service for example? Rachel Dineley, a partner, heading the Discrimination Unit, and Paula Jefferson a partner specialising in Injury Risk at […]
Maternity briefing: The Work and Families Act 2006
The number of applications to Employment Tribunals for unfair dismissal due to pregnancy related reasons in 2003-2004 was 1,170 and in 2004-2005 it was 1,345. Partly in response to this increasing trend the Government has announced a raft of legislative changes, which in many people’s eyes will further complicate maternity rights. The changes:A number of […]
New age policy ‘ASDA’ be good
With less than five weeks to go before the new age discrimination legislation comes into force, ASDA has announced it no longer requires job applicants at any of its 308 stores to provide their date of birth.What that means in terms of the regulations is that ASDA has gone much further than required. Under the […]
Bank holiday drought sees productivity nosedive
A survey by YouGov on behalf of Croner has revealed that 50 per cent of workers blame the bank holiday drought between September and Christmas for feeling unproductive at work.But although a significant 39 per cent voted for an extra bank holiday to recharge their batteries, the majority would rather take control over their own […]
Carpet factory pays the price for lack of consultation
Bosses at a carpet factory who failed to consult with workers before making them redundant have been ordered by a tribunal to pay out £160,000.The BBC reports that the 38 workers at Ayrshire-based First Textile Flooring Ltd returned from holiday to be told the company had ceased trading. All were members of the Scottish Carpet […]
Any Answers: Swearing in the workplace
Managing the inappropriate use of language is an issue which we often receive questions about in our Any Answers forum; responding to another query on the subject Sandra Beale, HR Consultant addresses the range of options from zero-tolerance to laissez-faire management. According to research carried out by the Aziz Corporation, conducted earlier this year, 36% […]
HR Tip: ‘Forced’ resignations
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: “Rather than dismiss unsuitable employees we ask them to resign. This preserves their dignity. Are we at any risk?” A: You certainly are. A court would construe a resignation made under pressure as […]
Disability discrimination: Are employers guilty? By Sarah Fletcher
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 aimed to prevent employers from acting unfairly towards staff with a disability, but does it work and has it created operational problems for business? Sarah Fletcher asked HR Zone members how to incorporate a disability into the workforce and whether discrimination is still a significant issue. The DDA should prevent […]
Pay awards steady despite rising inflation
Pay settlements in the three months to July remained at a steady average of three per cent, despite inflation reaching a two and a half-year high, according to Industrial Relations Services (IRS).In addition, two-thirds of pay deals were lower than those received in 2005, only eight per cent were higher than the previous settlement.IRS researchers […]
Dads want working hours to be their flexible friends
Many current work-life balance policies don’t suit dads, who would rather have workplace flexibility, according to new research.In fact, being a father has little effect on men’s working patterns, although they do cut back their working hours for a short time after a new child is born, according to Economic and Social Research Council funded […]
GCSE pass rates hit 98.1 per cent
The overall pass rate for GCSEs has reached 98.1 per cent – and the percentage gaining A* to C grades has also risen, from 61.2 per cent to 62.4 per cent.In addition, the number of students gaining A*-C grades in English has risen by 0.7 per cent to 61.6 per cent and in maths by […]
