Criticisms of a long standing contractual arrangement (ie zero hours) were raised some months ago. The Unite Union decided to challenge them, allegations of abuse surfaced and were probably exaggerated, politicians jumped on the bandwagon (notably the Business Secretary, Vince Cable, who should have known better) and much hot air was generated. Now research by […]
Ensure you have a Happy Christmas: FAQs on holidays and Christmas
| 26-11-13
With Christmas, and the end of most holiday years, in sight, November is a good time to review staff holiday entitlements particularly if your holiday year ends on 31st December. Employees are entitled to 5.6 weeks paid holiday per year, with no carry over to the next year. There is a maximum statutory entitlement of […]
Can the employee have a Trade Union rep with them?
| 26-11-13
We’ve been asked this question several times in the last month. An employee has the statutory right of accompaniment at any meeting where you might decide to take action in relation to them. So disciplinary hearings , dismissal hearings and appeals all fall within that definition as do grievance hearings (even though these are initiated […]
Saying ACAS on the tin is not enough; it might not be ACAS inside
| 26-11-13
Employers searching for ACAS on an internet search engine will find the top results are advertisements for employment law organisations offering “free” advice and often purporting to be ACAS. Now a leading barrister exposes the practices used. It is a phenomenon we have noticed for some time. What happens is that sophisticated techniques ensure typical […]
Bribery and corruption
| 26-11-13
Russian officials have been warned to stop touting for bribes. The euphemistic phrases used, as reported by the BBC, make curious reading. Bribery may be easier and more common than we think. Some years ago I had the habit, on return from travel abroad, to put spare foreign currency in my passport wallet. That way […]
Time to get engaged
| 01-11-13
The CIPD reports that one employee in four is actively seeking another job. That is a serious blow to the productivity and effectiveness of any organisation. If an employee is actively job seeking then performance in their current job has ceased to be a priority. They may also be spreading disenchantment among others. Interestingly past […]
