It seems that it’s OK to sleep on the job in certain situations, according to the outcome of a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal. The Tribunal (EAT) decided that employees required to "sleepover" at a specified location in the course of their work are entitled to be paid the National Minimum Wage for such hours, regardless of whether their sleep is interrupted. The outcome in this case (Whittlestone v BJP Home Support Ltd) will be particularly relevant to those employers in the care and security sectors.…
Hot tubing…it may sound like a ridiculous concept but it’s something that Civil Courts use all the time. A Judge gets two or more experts that are involved in a case round a table - or in front of the bench - to put their opinions forward. That way, the Judge is aware of the agreed (or not) issues, avoiding lengthy protected hearings or correspondence. So what is the relevance of this concept to HR and Employment Law? Well, actually, it’s something that many firms…
A flood of claims were submitted to tribunals earlier in the year, and it's no surprise why... Earlier this year, in July, fees became payable to lodge both an employment tribunal claim and an appeal. As a result, an issue fee of £250 and a hearing fee of £950 are now payable should an applicant wish to submit a claim for discrimination or unfair dismissal for example. Simpler cases, for such things as unauthorised wage deductions or unpaid redundancy payments, attract a much lower fee…
UK businesses lose millions every year through inefficient payroll reporting, incorrect data entry and even timecard fraud. Business owners are constantly looking for solutions that save money without sacrificing their efficiency or productivity. Just five minutes of lost time per employee per day may result in a business losing over £100 per employee per year, even at the minimum wage. But now, employers may never have to worry about their employees’ attendance again, thanks to the launch of an innovative new cloud-based time and attendance…
The UK’s most powerful storm in 26 years, St. Jude, meant there was widespread public transport disruption and road closures, with many commuters struggling to get to work. Extreme conditions like snow and ice often plunge the UK's transport network into chaos. As a result, employers are faced with a wide range of employment issues regarding absence and attendance, pay, leave, health and safety and employee rights. Must I pay those who cannot attend work due to the weather? An employer is under no obligation…
Is it the beginning of the end for zero hours contracts? Over the summer months, the media had a field day with a succession of startling revelations about the use of “zero hours.” This is the somewhat contentious arrangement in which no specific weekly hours are prescribed. Employees may not be offered work from week to week. Perhaps it wasn’t too surprising for McDonald’s and Burger King to be under the employment spotlight but when accusations also hit brand leaders like Boots and Sports Direct,…
It can be tricky for employers to keep up-to-date with all the legislation changes that affect the workplace. That's why we've compiled a quick summary of the most important changes over the last six months: Collective Redundancy Consultation The minimum period of employee consultation when making 100 or more redundancies in a period of 90 days or less has been reduced from 90 to 45 days. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) DBS checks (formerly known as Criminal Record Bureau checks) are now portable, which means…
Over 10 million people in the UK have a limiting long term illness, impairment or disability - with around 1 in 7 disabled adults of working age. The employment-rate gap between disabled and non-disabled people decreased from around 36% in 2002 to around 29% in 2010. To put this into context, the 2010 statistics show that 48% of disabled people were employed compared to a non-disabled rate of 78%. Disability Discrimination Legislation The law relating to disability discrimination is governed by the Equality Act 2010.…
Moorepay is a finalist for one of the most prestigious payroll awards in Britain. Some of the most innovative, forward-thinking payroll and HR providers will gather at the Millennium Hotel, Mayfair, London, for the ceremony of the highly acclaimed Payroll World Awards, held on 24 October 2013. As a leading provider of payroll and HR solutions, Moorepay has been selected for the coveted ‘Specialist Payroll Provider Award’, a reflection of the growth and on-going success following the launch of Moorepayhr. Moorepay has been able to…
The Government’s fact-finding exercise into zero-hours contracts is "inadequate" and requires further analysis to identify best practice for employers, according to a report published today. The report, 'Flexibility or insecurity? Exploring the rise in zero hours contracts published by The Work Foundation, calls for a more systematic investigation into zero-hours contracts than the review commissioned by the business secretary Vince Cable. Characteristics of workers on zero-hours contracts (ZHCs) vs non-ZHC contracts Characteristic ZHC Non-ZHC Permanent 71% 93% Two years or more* 44% 75% Less than six…
