Creating a respectful environment is not enough when tackling gender inequality in the workplace. We must also create equal opportunities for growth and achievement by cultivating a working culture where women are able to thrive. Here's how. In the lead-up to International Women's Day, we asked several incredible women at Moorepay how they think employers can better support women in the workplace. Watch the video for a summary and gain greater insight into cultivating a positive and fair workplace in the article below. [embed]http://youtu.be/KUPdOR5EwxI[/embed] Amplify…
The Budget was announced by Rishi Sunak yesterday, declaring the Government's plans for spending and taxation for the upcoming financial year 2021-22. We've summarised the key facts that payroll professionals need to know below. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) The Budget confirms the continuation of the Coronavirus Job Retention (furlough) Scheme in its current form until the end of June 2021. As the economy reopens and demand returns, the government will introduce employer contributions towards the cost of unworked hours until September 2021. From July,…
Can you force employees to have the Covid vaccine? What about disciplinary action if they refuse the vaccine? And is your workplace deemed 'safe' if employees don't have the vaccine? We've compiled a list of your frequently asked questions, answered by our in-house HR and employment law experts. Can I stipulate that my employees have a Covid vaccine? There is no government regulation that forces an individual to have a vaccine and we have no reason to think that vaccines would or could ever be…
Conversations about race can evoke strong emotions. But they can also help people to connect. Together, we must explore lived experiences, understand the historic and current context of race, and encourage commitment to work towards a more fair and equitable society. So, how should employers, HR teams, and people managers approach conversations about race? What are safe space conversations and how do you go about them? Keep reading for helpful tips and guidance. Safe Spaces You should conduct conversations about race in a safe space…
Due to the impact of COVID-19, the Equality and Human Rights Commission have announced an extension to the Gender Pay Gap Reporting deadline for 2021. Employers now have until 5 October 2021 to publish their gender pay gap data. This gives organisations some much-needed breathing space following a busy year of Job Retention Scheme implications, off-payroll working requirements, and the upcoming impact of budget 2021/22. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gender Pay Gap reporting requirements were suspended completely for 2019 - 2020. But this…
The European Commission has just published its preliminary ‘adequacy’ decision about data protection. It expects to confirm that UK data protection law is regarded as equivalent to the EU’s own (GDPR). This is really good news and will be a major milestone for any organisation with clients in the EU or EEA area. It’s equally important for organisations who have their HQ or other operations based there. As part of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, interim provisions are currently in place. They are due to expire…
Does the thought of calculating sick pay make you feel, well, sick? In 2020, the average level of absence in the United Kingdom was 5.8 days per employee. So unfortunately, sick pay calculations aren’t going anywhere. However, clever automation and bespoke auto-applied rules to your sick pay could save you time. What is Occupational Sick Pay? Businesses can opt to pay occupational sick pay, (OSP) based on individual employee earnings whilst an employee is off sick. This can be paid on some, or all of…
It’s been a very difficult few months since my last blog post as the impact of the pandemic continues to ricochet and touch us all. Day-to-day life is still incredibly challenging for many. You'll know from your own friends, family and professional networks that NHS staff and other key workers, including payroll professionals, remain under immense pressure. Meanwhile, those of us who can continue to work from home, are juggling jobs with home-schooling, childcare and life in lockdown. Hopefully you, like me, feel heartened by…
This new phraseology doesn’t mean your work environment is filled with poisonous gases. Instead, 'toxic workplace' refers to company cultures filled with poisonous remarks or actions – in short, bullying. Although the Equality Act 2010 gives the definition for harassment as “unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual”, there is no official definition for bullying within the Act. So what…
The four-day working week was hot on the agenda back in 2019, but it's taken a backseat in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rise of homeworking and the increasing desire for flexibility, is it time to dust off the idea? The four-day working week comes with plenty of benefits for employees as well as businesses. Let's remind ourselves of these and also ask the question: can the four-day working week help resolve gender pay issues? Reducing the Gender Pay Gap There are…
