Excuses, excuses … for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage
‘He doesn’t deserve it – he’s a total waste of space’ is the best – or worst – excuse HM Revenue and Customs enforcers heard from an employer refusing to pay the National Minimum Wage.In fact, some of the excuses were so bad, enforcers have compared notes and produced a top ten:10. I only took […]
The future’s female and 50 plus
What kind of boss is best able to cope with new, flexible working practices? The answer, according to research for BT is females over the age of 50.The research comes as the RAC Foundation becomes the latest organisation to support Work Wise UK, the five-year Government-backed initiative which promotes the widespread adoption of smarter working […]
Health plans pose age discrimination minefield
Employers are being urged to check health and benefit plans before the new age discrimination legislation comes into force on October 1.Mercer Human Resource Consulting warns that companies which provide benefits like private medical cover, income protection and life insurance could be taken to an employment tribunal if they continue to use age-related rules in […]
Workplace bullies: Discriminatory Acts and employee harassment
A secretary who sued her former employer after she was harassed by four female colleagues has been awarded £817,000 damages from the firm; in this employment law briefing, Chris Syder Head of Employment for Clarkslegal LLP looks at how to avoid costly tribunal claims. A High Court judge ruled that investment firm Deutsche Bank failed […]
True cost of worker absence ‘close to zero’
A study by a Swansea University economist shows that the cost of worker absenteeism to British industry could be close to zero – as much as £13 billion less than other surveys suggest.The study, Pay, technology and the cost of worker absence has been compiled by a team headed by the university’s Professor John Treble […]
A third of employers have to teach basic skills
A new report by the CBI reveals a third of employers have had to provide training in basic writing and numeracy skills because staff did not learn these skills at school.The report, commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills, says that in total around a fifth of employers find non-graduate recruits have literacy or […]
North/South divide splits hiring intentions
A north/south divide over recruitment intentions has sprung up according to research by KPMG and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).Their quarterly Labour Market Outlook report reveals particularly strong recruitment intentions in London and the east Midlands, with 49 per cent of firms planning to take on more staff in the next year. […]
HR Tip: Defining ‘theft’
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: “"Theft" is listed in our rules as an example of gross misconduct. We found a man taking some hardwood from our store and told him that we intended to take disciplinary action […]
HR Zone Members Newswire #165 – Should Holidays Be Compulsory?
================================================================ HR Zone Members Newswire Issue 165 22 August 2006 www.hrzone.co.uk ================================================================ ********************** Featured Sponsors *********************** Want talent, culture fit and motivation in 15 minutes? http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/savillea.html Is your business free-range? http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/microsofta.html Human capital management – Complimentary event! http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/infobasis2a.html **************************************************************** Editor’s note ============= For many workers in the UK, taking a break is akin to career […]
If we took a holiday… By Sarah Fletcher
If you ever suspected Madonna had a soft spot for employee relations, you might be right. The lyrics to her 1980s hit Holiday pose an important question for employers and staff during the summer season – should we take a holiday? As employment law specialists Croner recently warned that the 23 per cent of us […]
Fatal accidents at work fall to a record low
New figures from the Health and Safety Commission reveal that the number of fatal accidents in the workplace has fallen to a record low.In 2005/2006 212 people were fatally injured, a reduction from 223 in 2004/2005. The rate is also the lowest on record, at a rate of 0.71 fatalities per 100,000 workers.The figures also […]
A third of workers say they could do better
Almost one in four workers believe they could do a better job than their managers. This is according to a new poll conducted for Investors in People by YouGov.Whilst nearly one in three would swap their manager if they could. Poor communication was cited by managers as the reason behind this employee dissatisfaction. Nearly one […]
Any Answers: Motivating remote workers
Darren Ging recently asked the Any Answers forum for tips on communicating with non-office based workers; in this article Stephen Walker, Director of Motivation Matters shares his methods for managing the communication gap. So much communication with workers is on an ad hoc basis. It is not planned and takes place haphazardly. When you bump […]
Allowances replace the company car in benefits package
The company car is steadily being replaced by the car allowance, according to research from IRS Pay and Benefits Bulletin, published by Industrial Relations Services. Few employers extend the benefit to their entire workforce; the majority allocate cars on the basis of job grade and job need, the study shows. But some employers continue to […]
‘A’ Level pass rate hits 96.6 per cent
For the 20th year in a row, the ‘A’ Level pass rate has risen – it now stands at 96.6 per cent. And A grades account for 24.1 per cent of the results – up from 22.8 per cent. School standards minister Jim Knight described the results as “a time for celebration”, adding: “We no […]
Unemployment and employment rates soar
The latest jobless figures reveal the paradoxical nature of the UK labour market – with employment levels standing at record levels and unemployment at a six-year high.Figures released by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed: The number of people in work stands at 28.94 million – up 240,000 this year. The number on […]
What’s the answer? Redundancy selection – Is LIFO legal?
Pat Gray gets legal guidance this week from Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson and Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve on whether the use of LIFO as a redundancy selection tool can be classed as discrimination under the new age regulations. The question:I’m interested in any […]
HR Zone Briefing #309 – CSR: PR Exercise or Employee Incentive?
================================================================ HR Briefing Issue 309 – 17 August 2006 http://www.hrzone.co.uk ================================================================ ********************** Featured Sponsors *********************** Using Online Assessments for Compliance – New white paperhttp://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/questionmark1a.html Seven principles for fast, effective and productive meetings http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/illumine_a.html **************************************************************** Editor’s Note ============= Rosena Robson, head of business marketing at the Energy Saving Trust, says proving the business case for corporate […]
Good induction processes key to employee motivation
New research from a Canadian university has found that organisations with good induction processes are more likely to have motivated, satisfied and committed workers.The study found that employers who make socialisation a priority and develop programmes to integrate new employees with differing levels of experience and responsibility can expect greater employee retention, productivity, commitment and […]
Drunkenness at work on the increase
New research reveals that although the number of ‘liquid lunches’ has remained relatively static over the past two years, more alcohol is being drunk.The research, from employment law firm Peninsula, polled 1,527 employees and 712 employers from across the UK in an identical survey to one it carried out in 2004.During the past two years, […]
