LEGISLATION CHANGES AS OF APRIL 6TH

From 6th April maternity, paternity and adoption leave policies have been updated with the new statutory payments increasing from £100 per week to £102.80.

HOW HR2all CAN HELP...

These changes are reflected in the 'staff handbook' under 'special leave policies' contained within the employing staff section of Beprostaff@HR2all.

THE TIMES - SUNDAY MARCH 7, 2004

STRANGLED

The British Chamber of Commerce (BCC), prompted by concern about regulation among member firms, has been monitoring the damage caused by red tape for several years. “The flow of red tape is increasing,” said Sally Low, The BCC's director of policy. “The issues about the regulation of business are not going away. The costs are mounting and we are not getting the response from government we would like.”

It is not just small and medium-sized companies that are suffering. Even in the Square Mile frustration is growing. Last year the Financial Service Authority, the City watchdog, issued 50 consultation papers. Money Laundering rules have required new, increasing onerous requirements.

“I feel half my working day is on behalf of the government,” said the partner of one medium sized City firm. “Is it any wonder that we have seen virtually no new firms opening up in our space in recent years.”

If thinking of setting up again, many businessmen insist they would not bother. “We started out 15 years ago with the usual limited resources,” said Jim Milne, who runs Electrolab, a small engineering company. “I have no doubt that, with the vastly increased amount of bureaucracy that now exists, it would be impossible today. Small companies simply do not have the capacity to handle this mountain of red tape, nor do they have the resources to deal with it – what has happened to common sense?”

HOW HR2all CAN HELP...

Complying with the law and the ever-increasing amount of legislation is serious business, Beprostaff@HR2all offers small businesses a cost effective solution.

HR ZONE - THURSDAY MARCH 18, 2004

EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNAL CASES DOUBLE

Employment tribunal cases have increased by 50% in five years, according to a survey by the Engineering Employment Federation (EEF). Last year alone the number of cases handled on behalf of its 6000 members increased by 3% to 2206 cases, compared with 1450 cases handled by EEF in 1998 when membership was at the same level.

The survey also showed that 27% of claims were withdrawn by the applicant for no financial or other return before reaching a hearing; 78% of claims heard by the tribunal were won by the employer, whilst average settlements and tribunal awards were just under £5,500.

"There is a rising tide of employment litigation which is benefiting nobody in the workplace, certainly not employers, whilst employees are not securing significant victories," said EEF Director of Employment & Legal Affairs, Peter Schofield.

HOW HR2all CAN HELP...

As tribunal cases soar, having your HR in order is crucial to the survival of your business. BeproStaff@HR2all is easy to use, cost effective and provides a fully comprehensive solution to HR – from recruiting through to retirement.

METRO - TUESDAY MARCH 16, 2004

BOSS ‘SACKED HIS PREGNANT SISTER'

A toy company boss made his sister's life hell after she told him she was pregnant, a tribunal heard yesterday. David Driver, 43, told his sister Emma, who worked for him as a clerical assistant, that she had ‘messed things right up', it is claimed.

Miss Driver, 25, said she was made to lift heavy boxes and work long hours before being finally booted out in October last year. The mother-of-two, from Co. Durham, is suing for sex discrimination and unfair dismissal.

HOW HR2all CAN HELP...

You must, by law, treat your staff fairly, regardless of whether or not they are family members. BeproStaff@HR2all can help you conduct a risk assessment and can give guidance on issues you should be aware of when employing pregnant women.

METRO - MONDAY MARCH 15, 2004

PLEASE PICK ME - NOT YOUR NOSE

When it comes to that all-important job interview, you might as well forget being on your best behaviour. It is likely that your interviewer's conduct will put you off long before the hour is up.

One in five applicants said they had turned down a job because of the way their prospective boss behaved, with complaints about everything from breaking wind to nose-picking. Flirting, like smarmy David Brent in The Office, was mentioned several times as a turn-off. One woman said: ‘The male manager conducting the interview did not seem able to remove his eyes from my chest.'

One applicant said she was interviewed in a cleaning cupboard, while another said she was asked to walk the chairman's dogs as part of administrative duties. Others were unimpressed by scruffy bosses and one by a manager who stopped an interview to shout abuse at staff. Incidences of interviewers simply not turning up were also cited in the study by a recruitment website.

HOW HR2all CAN HELP...

However, many firms get it right when it comes to attracting workers. Two-thirds of applicants said they took jobs with companies that had the right ‘feel' during the interview. Four out of ten said they took a lower paid job because they liked what they saw. BeproStaff@HR2all gives guidance in the best way to conduct an interview!

METRO - TUESDAY MARCH 16, 2004

MINIMUM WAGE FOR UNDER-18s

A minimum wage of £3 an hour is being introduced for 16 and 17-year-olds, the Government said yesterday.

The deal came after the Low Pay Commission found youngsters were being paid as little as £1.25 per hour. For adults, the minimum wage will rise from £4.50 to £4.85 an hour while 18 to 21-year-olds will get £4.10, up from £3.80. TUC general-secretary Brendan Barber said the minimum wage was s success story that defied doom-mongers who said it would costs millions of jobs.

HOW HR2all CAN HELP...

Make sure your employment contracts are up to date and reflect changes in legislation. Use BeproStaff@HR2all to create your employment contracts and employee handbooks.

METRO - FRIDAY MARCH 19, 2004

LORD ‘FORCED GARDENER TO LIVE IN CAR'

A gardener forced to sleep in her car after being sacked by a multi-millionaire lord wept yesterday as she left a tribunal with an estimated pay-out of £4,000.

Andrea Bolton was left homeless after losing her job of eight years and being evicted from her three bedroomed cottage on Lord Astor's Oxfordshire estate.

The 57-year-old, whose duties included caring for chickens and pets, and hauling coal and compost, said she worked twice the 24 hours a week she was contracted to do, for which she was paid just £84 a week – less than the minimum wage.

After being evicted from her cottage on the peer's Ginge Manor estate, near Wantage, Miss Bolton was forced to live in her old Volvo – along with her six cats, four cockatiels and two parakeets.

Miss Bolton arrived at the employment tribunal in Reading, Berkshire, yesterday claiming sex discrimination, disability discrimination, unfair dismissal and being paid below the minimum wage. The tribunal threw out the sex discrimination claim and 52-year-old Viscount Astor, reportedly worth £65million, agreed to settle out of court.

HOW HR2all CAN HELP...

Beprostaff@HR2all gives guidance on the national minimum wage, ensuring you treat your safe fairly and comply with the law.