Proposed TUPE Changes
In response to consultation on the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) the changes that are due in January 2014 are to make sure both employers and employees are treated fairly when a transfer takes place. The driving force behind the planned change is to help smaller firms that have been put […]
EEA nationals’ right to remain in the UK
There have been two significant court cases this year that have looked to clarify what rights EEA nationals have to stay in the UK whilst job hunting. The UK government has amended the Europe Economic Arena (EEA) regulations a number of times over recent years. On the face of it, this makes it more difficult […]
Tipping Point for Flexible Working in 2017
Next year will see the tipping point for flexible working in the UK, according to new research. Lancaster University’s Work Foundation indicates that over half of UK businesses are likely to adopt flexible working practices by 2017. The paper, ‘Working Anywhere: A Winning Formula for Good Work?’ aimed to estimate when flexible working will become […]
Majority of Employees to Work at Christmas
More than half of UK employees (63%) will be at work at Christmas Eve according to a study by fashion brand Cotton Traders. Over 30% will work on Christmas Day itself. Almost half of those surveyed said that they will do so to earn extra income, with 41% expecting to receive double pay for working at […]
Statutory Maternity and Sick Pay Rates Frozen for 2016
Following on from the Autumn Budget, the Government has announced that there will be no increase to a variety of statutory pay rates in 2016. The affected statutory rates include maternity and paternity pay, shared parental pay, adoption pay and sick pay. A complete list of the Government’s statutory pay rates for 2016 can be […]
Volunteering Initiatives Boost Engagement
We’re approaching the season of goodwill, which means that many businesses will be turning their attention to volunteering initiatives for their staff. Pre-empting this, the CIPD and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) have launched a joint study into employer-supported volunteering (ESV). The aim of the study is to identify how ESV schemes can […]
Former Chelsea Doctor Claims for Constructive Dismissal
Former Chelsea first team doctor Eva Carneiro has lodged a claim of constructive dismissal against her former employer. Chelsea’s Premiere League defence started with a 2-2 draw against Swansea on the 8th August. Towards the closing stages of the game and with the scores already level Eden Hazard received an injury. After being motioned on to […]
Government Announces Shared Parental Leave for Grandparents
Grandparents will be able to take shared parental leave and pay under plans laid out by Chancellor George Osborn. The chancellor announced the plan at the Conservative party conference last weekend. Consultations on the details of the policy will take place next year, with the policy set for 2018. The coalition government introduced Shared Parental […]
Legal Update: Travel Time Now Counts as Working Time
Travel time for employees without a fixed place of work now counts as working time following a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ). The time that an employee spends travelling from their home to their place of work when they have no fixed place of employment now legally counts as working time. The […]
The Mid-Afternoon Slump Explained
The typical mid-afternoon slump has been explained… And the cause isn’t what you might think. Research by the NHS has identified that 2.16 PM is the least productive time of the working day. However rather than being due to the post-lunch ‘food coma’, the mid-afternoon slump is actually caused by rising CO2 levels in the […]
UK Workers Not Taking Full Holiday Allowance
More than half of workers in the UK are not taking their full holiday allowance, according to research by Reed. 54% of employees are leaving an average of three days of holiday a year unused. Nearly half of the respondents (45%) said that they had previously cancelled a holiday for work reasons, whilst 24% said […]
Netflix Offers Year of Fully Paid Parental Leave
Netflix has introduced fully-paid parental leave as its latest unlimited employee benefit. The media streaming giant has introduced the policy as a means of attracting and retaining the best talent. It covers the first year following a child’s birth or adoption. Parents will have the flexibility to stay at home, drop in when they can or […]
Modern Slavery Statement Required from October
From October any large business that operates in the UK will be required to publish a ‘modern slavery statement’. The statement must outline the steps that the business has taken to ensure that neither slavery nor human trafficking is taking place within their company. This also extends to any supply chains, whether UK-based or otherwise. […]
IKEA Commits to Paying the Living Wage
IKEA has become the first national retailer in the UK to commit to paying the living wage. The home furnishing giant said that the increase will come into effect from 1st April 2016. More than half of the company’s 9,000 employees will see their pay rise. By paying the living wage IKEA is bringing its […]
£3.2 Million Awarded for Workplace Harassment
A former banker at the London office of a major Russian bank has won significant damages at an Employment Tribunal following ongoing discrimination and harassment in her role. Svetlana Lokhova worked for Sberbank CIB (UK) Ltd until she resigned claiming constructive dismissal in 2012. Ms Lokhova, a Cambridge graduate, joined the bank in 2008. […]
Anti-Avoidance Measures & Zero Hours Contracts
The Government last week published new legislation to protect employees from exclusivity clauses in zero hours contracts. These exclusivity clauses prevent employees from taking on secondary jobs to supplement their income. The proposals outline the consequences for any employer found to be enforcing exclusivity clauses, which include the right for the affected employee to seek […]
ECJ Rules on Holiday Pay & Commission Case
The Employment Tribunal in the case of Lock v British Gas ruled that any employee who receives commission should receive varied holiday pay to reflect their normal income. Mr Lock was a salesman for British Gas on a basic salary with variable commission paid in arrears. His commission depended upon sales achieved and could not […]
End of the Road for Jeremy Clarkson and the BBC?
How would you manage an employee like the outspoken Top Gear presenter? UPDATED 25/03/2015 The Daily Telegraph last night reported that Jeremy Clarkson is going to be sacked by the BBC following an internal investigation into an alleged incident earlier this month. If the purported facts of the incident are true then the BBC would […]
Employee Engagement Crucial
A white paper has outlined the need for businesses to focus on both employee engagement and wellbeing in order to ensure continued performance by individuals and the business overall. The Engage for Success report, titled ‘The Evidence: Wellbeing and Employee Engagement’ provides evidence that there is a strong link between employers who actively practice employee […]
Pension Auto-Enrolment: Avoiding the Pitfalls
The Government is aiming to head-off a future savings crisis with a pension auto-enrolment scheme for employees – and HR departments need to be aware of the potential pitfalls that this new legislation could bring. The latest development that employers need to know about when enrolling staff is new regulations banning consultancy charges. The regulations came into force […]
