The Government is now finalising its plans to introduce a new employment status next April in which some workers will be able to become ‘employee owners’. The scheme was announced by Chancellor George Osborne on 8th October. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is now conducting a consultation on the plans which are
The Government has announced a series of employment law changes designed to reduce the burden on businesses while retaining reasonable protection for employees. Ministers are planning to reduce the compensation cap for unfair dismissal claims, reduce the number of vexatious claims and promote the use of settlement agreements. However, they have decided against introducing compensated
A Government minister has publicly named a company that failed to pay an employee the National Minimum Wage (NMW). The move is part of an initiative by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to name and shame companies that don’t adhere to NMW regulations. It shows the Government’s determination to get tough on
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has started to name and shame firms that flout National Minimum Wage regulations. To help employers comply with the regulations, BIS has outlined the following seven points that could put a firm at risk. An employer only has to meet one of these points to be named:
The law offers employers some protection against libel claims arising out of references they provide for employees. This was illustrated in a recent case before the High Court. It involved a laboratory assistant, Mr Bol Thour, who had worked for the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. He applied for a job at St Bart’s Hospital,
Employees will soon have to pay £1,200 to bring an unfair dismissal claim to an employment tribunal. The new fee arrangement will be introduced next summer and follows widespread consultation with business leaders and trade unions. Currently, employees don’t need to pay to make a claim. This has led to complaints from some businesses that
An NHS clerical worker has won her appeal that she should be paid the holiday pay she accrued while on sick leave for a year. Janet Larner had been signed off work with ME and depression, and had six months leave on full pay followed by another six months on half pay. While she was
Sweeping changes to staff consultation procedures during large scale redundancies are now being considered by the Government. Under the current rules, companies must consult with their employees for 90 days if there are likely to be large scale redundancies involving more than 100 employees. Employment Relations Minister Norman Lamb wants to shorten this consultation period
Improving the employment tribunal system and setting up a new Competition and Markets Authority are two of the main points of the new Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill. It will also tackle directors’ pay and the burden of red tape. The Government says the Bill is a central element in its drive to deliver strong
Employers need to be careful what they say to staff during informal meetings, as one firm found to its cost recently. The firm, which carried out services for a large banking group, was about to be taken over. During an informal meeting with staff broadcast over the internet, it announced that a “guaranteed” minimum bonus