Pension Death Benefits: Expression of Wish
Many people are members of pension schemes which include death in service benefits. Death in service benefits provide benefits should the pension scheme member die prior to retirement, often, a sum (typically three to four times salary) can be paid to named beneficiaries. What is less well known is that many scheme members, in naming […]
The TUC on the Employment Framework Directive
The TUC has welcomed a new European law which within six years will make it illegal for most UK employers to discriminate against employees because of their age, sexual orientation, religion or any disability they may have. The TUC congratulates the government on its positive contribution to getting the new Directive through. But the TUC […]
Fat websites!
An article in our sister site at AccountingWEB reports on a survey by ZDNet which accuses too many web pages of being too big and driving customers away.HR related websites are regularly reviewed in the HR Zone’s newswire HR Briefing, and the pattern to date is that many are way overweight. Heavy web pages result […]
Freelancing abroad
I am a fairly new freelance trainer and management specialist and would like to work overseas, eg America, Europe etc, and would be grateful if anyone can supply me with contacts or details of agencies that can help, or supply work. Also ,anything I need to know to do this?Any help very much appreciated. Thanks […]
European worker rights: Employment Framework Directive
European Union workers won new rights against workplace discrimination on grounds of race, disability, age, religion or sexual orientation last night. However, agreement was only reached after compromise over whether the Employment Framework Directive would apply to the armed forces. During more than five hours of talking, ministers from the 15 member states backed the directive […]
HR Expertise and Resources Centre
Our HR Resources Centre has recently moved to a new dedicated location at: https://www.hrzone.com/resources You may also want to check out other parts of our site: Community blogs Any Answers – get your questions answered by experts HR Glossary – useful definitions of complex HR terms
Minister: Clear pensions statements should lead to greater individual savings
Jeff Rooker, Social Security Minister, yesterday presented a Kiss FM employee with their first combined pensions statement. Emap, one of the pilot partners currently working with the DSS on combined pension statements, issued them to over 2,000 employees including staff from Kiss FM and Smash Hits. The statement sets out an individual's estimated income in […]
Blunkett appoints LSC National Council Members
Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett yesterday announced the appointment of 14 members to the National Council of the Learning and Skills Council who will oversee the work of the new body modernising post-16 learning. Mr Blunkett said, "I am very pleased that those appointed have agreed to take on this role. They bring with […]
New Head for Cabinet Office Women’s Unit
Susan Atkins was yesterday named as the new Director of the Women's Unit. She will take up her post on 30 October, replacing Fiona Reynolds who is leaving to become Director General of the National Trust. Susan is moving from the Home Office where for the last eighteen months she has been Head of the […]
CBI tells TUC to stop urging for staff consultation law
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has urged the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to stop pressing for an EU-wide law governing company consultation with staff. John Cridland, CBI Deputy Director-General, said it is "wholly unnecessary" to require employers with more than 50 staff to consult workers according to fixed EU rules. "EU-wide legislation on this […]
Joint Statement on behalf of the trade union movements of Germany, Spain, Great Britain and Ireland
The European Union cannot only be a project for the benefit of business. The improvement and strengthening of workers’ rights is also vital if workers’ commitment to the EU is to be ensured.It is unacceptable, therefore, that our governments are engaged, through a series of private agreements, in halting progress on vital social legislation. Between […]
TUC joins European Unionists in call for governments to back down
The TUC and its equivalents in Spain, Germany and Ireland will call on their respective governments to drop objections to the EU draft Directive on Information and Consultation at the EU Social Affairs Council this Tuesday (17 October). The union organisations launched a joint statement on Friday calling on the UK, Spanish, German and Irish […]
Being kicked when you’re down
I’ve encouraged HR Zone members to keep a weather eye on the WorkUnlimited pages before. There’s a new article been posted recently though which will hopefully be widely read, and will remind us all that we should treat other people fairly.It’s called “Your not-so-secret history”
TUC welcomes move to involve safety reps.
News that the Head of the Health and Safety Commission Bill Callaghan will be arranging the piloting of the use of Worker's Safety Reps was welcomed by the TUC today. A TUC spokesperson told HR Zone today, "We welcome the recognition that representatives backed by the trade union movement help to improve safety standards. British […]
Mo Mowlam: Exclusion begins with the young
Dr Mo Mowlam, Minister for the Cabinet Office with specific responsibility for ensuring that Government delivers on its social exclusion programme, last night outlined the Government's programme to tackle the problems of young people who suffer most from the consequences of social exclusion. Speaking at the Shaftesbury House & Arethusa AGM to an audience of […]
put a smile on your face by reading this
This HR recruitment joke is pretty funny: “One day while walking down the street a highly successful Resources Director was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soularrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St. Peterhimself. Welcome to Heaven, said St. Peter. Before you get settled in […]
Equal Opportunities Workshop
Online WorkshopEqual OpportunitiesTuesday 24 October, 13:00 BST Disability discrimination, sex discrimination, race discrimination, Employment Framework Directive etc. etc. etc. Is political correctness going over the top? Is employment regulation getting silly? Is the 'positive about disabled people' logo just a marketing tool? Or is there a real business case for being an equal opportunities employer? […]
Worker Safety Rep pilot scheme launched by Health and Safety Chief
Today Health and Safety Chair Bill Callaghan announced plans to run a workers’ safety adviser pilot scheme. Speaking at the Involvement and Participation Association’s annual conference in Grantham, Mr Callaghan said: “I am pleased to announce that the HSC is now committed to running a pilot scheme which will involve the training and deployment of […]
Blunkett: Jobs boost for disabled
Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett yesterday pledged to build on the success of New Deal by offering more Government help to 800,000 people who have a long term illness or disability and would like to work. Mr Blunkett said the Government would be developing plans for introducing rehabilitation and retention pilots to test different […]
Government minister tells public sector workers to embrace change
Cabinet Office Minister Ian McCartney today urged public sector workers to embrace change in the drive to modernise public services. In a speech at the "Delivering modernised government – strategy into action" conference, Mr McCartney appealed to civil servants and public servants to continue taking the initiative and modernise government by coming up with workable […]
