Employee Perks and National Living Wage
Employers accused of cutting back perks to accommodate National Living Wage Whether it’s increased overtime rates, discounts, food perks, or above average rates of pay, most employees enjoy a number of perks associated with their job role – but, following the introduction of the National Living Wage on April 1st 2016, many employees are now […]
WHAT DOES 2016 HOLD FOR SMEs?
SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) face constant challenges so what does 2016 hold for them? 1 EU – are we leaving? If we do decide to leave the EU in June 2016 it will have a huge impact on all SMEs. For example, many SMEs rely on the free movement of EU workers. Whilst it’s […]
CIPD Warns of Lower Pay Rises
The introduction of the compulsory National Living Wage will cause UK salaries to rise at a far slower rate than forecast, according to the CIPD. However, the HR body believes that low inflation will help to ease the blow for average earners. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) and the Bank of England originally predicted […]
New Penalties for the National Minimum Wage
The Government has published new legislation regarding the forthcoming amendments to the National Minimum Wage. There will be tougher penalties in place for employers who fail to pay the National Minimum Wage. These include doubling the penalty for non-payment and disqualifying guilty employers from holding a directorship for up to 15 years. The legislation will […]
Living Wage Foundation Announces New Rates
The Living Wage Foundation has announced the voluntary Living Wage rates for the next twelve months. For all areas of the UK outside of London the rate has increased from £7.85 to £8.25 per hour. The London Living Wage, which reflects the higher price of living in the capital, has risen from £9.15 to £9.40. […]
Lidl the Latest Retailer to Pay Living Wage
German retail chain Lidl will become the first UK supermarket to pay the Living Wage. The pay hike will equate to an average wage increase of £1,200 per year for about 9,000 Lidl employees, or just over half of the supermarket’s UK workforce. The increase is due this October, and means that Lidl employees across […]
Care Worker Claims Unpaid Wages for Travel Time
A former care worker is claiming for unlawful deduction of wages due to unpaid travel costs. Caroline Barlow worked for MiHomecare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, for four months. She claims that during this time the company frequently paid her less than the National Minimum Wage as she did not receive any payment […]
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 […]
Minimum wage pay changes
This year will see an increase in minimum wages for all groups under the age of 25, under new plans to improve earnings across the board. The highest rise will be for those aged between 18 and 20, with a 4.7% increase up to £5.55 per hour. This is continued with 21 to 24 year […]
UK Pay Increase Predicted for 2016
UK workers look set to receive an average pay increase of 2.3% in 2016. This will be the largest ‘real-terms’ salary rise since 2008. This forecast follows research by Korn Ferry Hay Group. Whilst the rate of pay increase looks set to be at the same as this year (2.5%), the level of inflation is […]
Caste Discrimination Covered Under Equality Act 2010
A former domestic servant has won £184,000 in unpaid wages following the UK’s first claim for caste discrimination. Ms Tirkey worked as a domestic servant for a Mr and Mrs Chandok, first in India and then again in the UK. Ms Tirkey is of Adivasi origin, which some in India consider to be low caste. […]
Employment Law Update: October 2015
It’s almost October, which means that the annual employment law update is just around the corner. We’re taking a look at some of the more significant upcoming legislative changes and highlighting how these may have a direct impact upon your business. National Minimum Wage Increase The National Living Wage is due to come into effect next […]