The real cost of a bad hiring decision

When it comes to hiring time, more and more organisations are bolstering their recruitment processes with a thorough programme of interviews, relevant workplace tests and internal vetting procedures in an effort to secure the right candidate. Now that we’re coming out of recession it seems there’s even more fierce competition amongst applicants and the selection […]

2014 employment law review

There have been a number of key developments in employment law in 2014, many of which have had a wide-ranging impact for employers. Holiday Pay The most notable, and widely publicised, of these developments was the series of significant decisions in relation to holiday pay, building on the Court of Justice of the European Union's […]

Overtime to count when calculating holiday pay

People working overtime could be able to claim for additional holiday pay, following a ground-breaking Employment Appeal Tribunal. Only basic pay currently counts when calculating holiday pay. Workers will be able to make backdated claims, but only for a limited period. According to Vanessa James, Head of Employment at SA Law, employees could potentially claim […]

Britain does not have an over-regulated employment environment

The European Union has played a substantial role in shaping rights at work in the UK over the last thirty years. For Eurosceptics, this is a prime example of the EU over-stepping the mark and undermining national sovereignty. With our future within the European Union looking more uncertain than ever, it is an important time […]

When did bribery stop being an HR issue?

When did HR absolve themselves of responsibility for people issues? Prior to the commencement of the Bribery Act in 2010, when I was being instructed on an investigation into employee misbehaviour, such instructions would usually come via the HR team. But since the Bribery Act, everything seems to have changed. Now I'm sure that HR […]

‘Dinosaur’ employers reluctant to hire working mums

Nearly 40% of managers avoid employing working mothers for fear they won’t perform as well as their male colleagues, new research has found. A survey of 500 managers by law firm Slater & Gordon has revealed that nearly half of bosses would resist recruiting a mother for a senior role, with 38% hesitant about hiring […]

Employment tribunal fees a ‘victory’ for rogue employers

The introduction of employment tribunal fees has been a “huge victory” for bad employers, resulting in a significant drop in the number of claims, the Trades Union Congress has said. A TUC report to mark the first anniversary of the new charges has revealed that, since July 2013, there has been a 79% fall in […]

Flexible working changes – a smorgasbord of opinions on right to request

From today, 20 million people (according to BIS) now have the right to request flexible working from their employer. BIS have said that over half of businesses who allow flexible working see improved relationships, 40% report productivity boost and 38% see drop in staff absence. The salient points: The change affects those who have over […]

No progress on race inequality in leadership, report finds

Racial inequality in UK management is no better now than it was in 2007, a new report has claimed. The proportion of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in top management increased by just 0.5% between 2007 and 2012, according to the report by Business in the Community’s race equality campaign Race for Opportunity. […]

You thought pensions auto-enrolment was the last of it? Sick pay is next

One of the biggest conundrums facing successive governments in recent times has been to cut the enormous spend on welfare benefits. The recent introduction of auto-enrolled pensions is enlightening and, I believe, points to what HR will have to handle at some point in the future.  Conceived under the previous Labour administration and introduced under the […]

Female contractors ‘in minority’ compared to men

The proportion of women working as contractors is less than half that of men, new figures have shown. According to official data, obtained by professional services consultancy Procorre, there are just under 1 million female contractors currently working in the UK, representing 8% of working women, compared to 2.5 million men, who represent 15.5% of […]

Queen’s Speech 2014: Pension reforms take centre stage

Sweeping reforms to pensions were at the centre of this year’s Queen’s Speech. In the final speech before the 2015 election, legislation on ‘collective’ workplace pension schemes was announced, with a Bill that will enable employees to pay into a collective pension fund shared with other workers that aims to cut costs and “pool risk” […]

How should HR deal with mentoring arrangements?

Mentoring can take place in different ways – either internally within a business (senior staff mentoring junior staff), staff providing mentoring to external beneficiaries and the employer bringing in mentors from outside the business to support staff.  All of these possibilities have different implications, benefits and risks to the employer. Perhaps the main benefit to […]

Diversity and recruitment – a necessity for the modern organisation

For any HR professional or hiring manager, the recruitment process can sometimes appear time-consuming, but in fact it is incredibly simple. When on a journey to find the right talent for your business, it is essential that you find the best person for the job, someone who can contribute positively and add value to your […]

Should whistleblowers receive rewards or awards?

Whistleblowers serve private and public interests when they raise concerns about wrongdoing but how do we recognise those who choose to come forward? Should we offer financial rewards or awards of a different nature? Policies and procedures for whistleblowing are becoming increasingly common in both the public and private sector. In the UK we tend […]

Covert recordings – admissible as evidence?

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (“EAT”) has held that secret recordings of private deliberations made in the course of grievance and disciplinary proceedings can be admissible in evidence. There has been a steady stream of EAT level decision in this area, and this case, Punjab National Bank (International) Ltd & ors v Ms S Gosain UKEAT/0003/14/SM, […]

When can I discuss things ‘without prejudice?’

Employers often want to chat with employees “off the record” so that they try and negotiate an agreed departure by persuading an employee to leave both quickly and amicably, and therefore save the need to carry out the full dismissal procedure.  Often such chats are seen as a less formal route and if a deal […]

Protected beliefs and the case of the democratic socialist in the DWP

The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) prohibits direct and indirect discrimination and harassment in the workplace on the grounds of religious or philosophical belief. Prior to the Act coming into force, the Government made it clear that the Act was not intended to cover political beliefs. However, a recent Employment Tribunal decision has cast doubt […]

Introducing the CV Blind interview

The recruitment process is a crucial stage of any employment relationship. Ensuring you end up with the best person for the role depends upon having the right systems in place, from the initial job advert through to final interview. Organisations are continuously looking to innovate in this area, and whilst some tend towards abstract questions […]

Vaping in the workplace: employers go full steam ahead

Ever since the smoking ban came into force in 2007 the number of those turning to alternative means to keep their nicotine cravings calm in public spaces has been on a steady increase. However, more recently many are ditching the patches and gum in place of picking up pen-like devices known as e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are […]