Cumbria earmarks £15 million for equal pay claim
Cumbria County Council has increased the amount it has set aside to cover the cost of an equal pay claim to £15.3 million.The council originally set aside £8.7 million for the claims, which were brought on behalf of nearly 3,000 female employees by two unions – the GMB and Unison.Personnel Today quotes the deputy council […]
Bumps to babies
Businesslink has launched a new online interactive tool covering maternity in the workplace to help small businesses understand their obligations and employee entitlements. Research by the Equal Opportunities Commission indicates that half the respondents felt managers didn’t understand how to manage pregnancy in the workplace. Businesslink’s guide aims to help. Users are guided through a […]
Opinion: Don’t take recruitment measurement lightly
Unlike practically every other business discipline, recruitment all too often escapes stringent performance measurement, despite its potentially huge impact on corporate success. And with so much riding on each new employee, companies are risking throwing good money after bad by not finding a way to make sure their recruitment decisions are working for them; Norrie […]
HR Zone Briefing #300 – How To Get An HR Job You’ll Love
================================================================ HR Briefing Issue 300 – 15 June 2006 http://www.hrzone.co.uk ================================================================ *********************** Featured Sponsors ********************** New MSc in Human Resource Management from The OU Business School http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/oua.html Meeting challenges of an ageing workforce – Free newsletter http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/croneri9a.html WYKO case study – Successful Centrefile migration to Elite HR http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/safea.html Complimentary Business Outlook Employee Benefits newsletter http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/towrylaw9.html […]
Psychometrics spotlight: Testing times – the FIRO-BTM personality questionnaire
In the third of a new series putting the range of psychometric tests under the spotlight we look at the FIRO-BTM personality questionnaire developed by Will Schutz. The Fundamental Interpersonal Relations OrientationTM – Behaviour (FIRO-BTM) personality questionnaire was developed by Will Schutz, whose wish it was to provide an understanding of the fundamental differences between […]
Union in World Cup sickie row
Employers’ groups have attacked trade union Amicus for giving workers advice on how to take a “sickie” so they can watch World Cup matches.On its website, Amicus, the UK’s largest manufacturing union, has published advice entitled “World Cup fever – can you play away?” in which it provides tips on minimising the risk of punishment […]
Company of the week: KPMG
Diversity is the name of the benefits game for audit, tax and advisory service KPMG an employer of over 10,000 staff; Cheryl Curtis Benefits Manager for the firm talked to Annie Hayes, HR Zone Editor about how to attract, retain and keep staff with some carefully crafted rewards. *Benefits stats*Benefits offered: Flexible benefits: part time […]
HR Software Show – Exclusive preview
The CIPD’s annual HR Software Show takes place at London Olympia on 21-22 June. If the time has come for you to consider automating your processes or upgrading your current systems, the event draws together more than 50 suppliers ranging from fully integrated, web-based application suites to specialist tools for recruitment, time & attendance and […]
Merging HR functions in government could save millions
If central government merged its back office functions – including HR and finance administration – it could save £560 million a year according to the CBI.The calculation, which excludes the Ministry of Defence and the devolved administrations, is based on the government reducing the 2.5 per cent of its budget that it spends on HR […]
Inflexible attitudes over flexible working
Despite all the government’s attempts to encourage flexible working, the majority of employees fear that asking for more flexible working practices will damage their careers.At the moment only parents with children have the right to ask for flexible working but research by business communications provider Inter-Tel has found that 90 per cent of all employees […]
Moves To Close ‘Bank Holiday Loophole’
Employers who force workers to count bank holidays as part of their 20 days’ statutory paid leave could find their hands tied if government plans to close the loophole get the go-ahead. The DTI has launched a consultation on whether to increase the statutory 20 days’ paid leave to 28 days. Although employers would not […]
What’s the answer? Redundancy after sick leave
Lorraine De’Ath gets legal guidance this week from Martin Brewer, a Partner with the employment team of Mills & Reeve, and Helen Badger, employment law expert at Browne Jacobson, on whether it is compliant to make an employee redundant following a period of sick leave. The question:If an employee has been on long term sick […]
Firms suffer daytime drinking problem
One in six UK employees admits to being under the influence of alcohol while at work during the past six months suggesting HR managers must implement anti-alcohol policies, according to new survey.The survey, commissioned by commercial insurers Royal & Sun Alliance, sought to establish the effect in the workplace of last year’s introduction of 24-hour […]
HR career management: Taking control
Best-selling careers author John Lees shows you how to become your own career coach in this exclusive feature for HR Zone. Who’s in charge?Most of us navigating the 21st century workplace are using career thinking at least a generation out of date. Since very few students take careers advice before graduation (or find it less […]
Coaching myths explained
Dave Marchant, experienced HR and training manager, explains those coaching myths. I started coaching people in organisations about 15 years ago when working as the Group Training Manager for WH Smith. I was on a two year secondment there from my primary employment as an HR manager with IBM UK.I had been brought to Smiths […]
Ministers address bosses’ bank holiday leave dodge
Bosses who force employees to include bank holidays as part of their annual leave entitlement will be prevented from doing so under new government plans. Unveiling details of a new consultation, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) claimed that up to two million of the UK’s lowest paid workers will benefit from extra holidays, […]
Sacking stroke victim costs employer £20k
A 22-year-old veterinary nurse who was sacked after a stroke left her blind has won £20,352 in compensation.Hayley Tudor’s case was one of the first direct discrimination cases under Part Two of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) to reach a tribunal hearing. The case was supported by the Disability Rights Commission, Action for Blind People […]
Member’s tip: Corporate responsibility on employee benefits
Does the employer have a responsibility to provide health cover and pensions to staff, or can they offer company cars with a clear conscience? Keith Luxon suggests factors to consider when creating a corporate employee benefits scheme. In my opinion it depends on why you are offering benefits in the first place. If it is […]
HR Zone Members Newswire #154 – Toilet Breaks, Married Employees & Criminal Convictions
================================================================ HR Zone Members Newswire Issue 154 13 June 2006 www.hrzone.co.uk ================================================================ *********************** Featured Sponsors ********************** Be ahead of the game http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/towrylaw8a.html Free flexible benefits strategies seminar http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/oval2a.html How do you hang on to your best people?… http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/rbi2a.html Re-thinking your benefits http://www.hrzone.co.uk/redirects/pma.html **************************************************************** Editor’s note ============= Requesting permission for a toilet break should be confined […]
Advantages of workplace flexibility mythical suggests survey
A new study says that the conviction that light employment regulation and weak unions are the key to creating jobs and keeping unemployment down is nothing more than a myth.The controversial research by the think tank The Work Foundation points out that other European countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands have achieved […]
