Over 30 per cent of small and medium businesses (SMEs) are unprepared for auto enrolment, according to a new survey from Moorepay. The figures revealed that 30 per cent of the 2,500 SMEs surveyed are oblivious or unsure of their responsibilities for the new workplace pensions laws. Futher anaysis of the survey revealed that there were more 'unsure' companies who had either 5-49 or 4 or less employees - 50 per cent and 40 per cent respectively. The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has said that the most…
Early Conciliation is being introduced under the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. The Act contains a range of measures which will hopefully provide the right conditions to encourage long term growth and support business success. It address one of the fears that businesses have reported of having to defend an employment tribunal claim. These fears can sometimes impact on an employer’s decision to take on new staff and develop their business. Changes are therefore being made to allow the parties in a dispute greater…
Every day, millions of people travel to and from work by car or drive around all day in lorries or trucks for their jobs. For some, driving is the primary means of transport for journeys to and from work, also for some driving a motorised road vehicle is their job, for example truck drivers, bus drivers, ambulance, police, taxi etc. Modern vehicle design has progressed a long way over the years with better styling features, more fuel efficient and comfort however there is concern that…
An employer recently warned its foreign employees that if they did not speak English in the workplace they would be dismissed. On the face of it this may seem a relatively straight-forward issue and not at all unreasonable...but is it? There are many employers around the country that employ foreign workers which inevitably leads to a more diverse workforce. Given that language issues may arise in the workplace, if there is one common language that is only allowed to be spoken does this have any…
One of our Payroll Managers, Val Walker, has been recognised for outstanding achievement and has been listed in the acclaimed Payroll Top 50. Every year, Payroll World Magazine recognises the hard work of outstanding professionals that have made an impact on payroll over the last year. The list, which includes a wide range of well-known names from politicians to payroll managers, is an opportunity to celebrate a group of outstanding individuals as well as the payroll experience, legislation knowledge and entrepreneurship found in the payroll…
Payroll processing is taking longer than ever for some firms since the introduction of Real Time Information (RTI) last year, according to HMRC research. Out of the 446 employers surveyed by HMRC, 25% found that reporting their End of Year returns takes much longer now that they have to do it in real time. The report found that the majority of those surveyed, 79%, asked for help from either HMRC or their payroll provider – with 49% having trouble with technical issues. A further 28…
The days are getting longer and the clocks will soon go forward, so it's time to dust off those spring and summer gardening tools. Hopefully, it will be a pleasant warm one after all the rain and flooding people have suffered should it be a very sunny one remember sun protection for out door working. The environmental impact caused by flooding is still being assessed by government and relevant agencies. So let’s take time to review the documentation we have in place i.e. risk assessment,…
Higher penalties are being imposed on employers who fail to pay National Minimum Wage rates. Employers could be publicly named and shamed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills or even face prosecution. Why do we have a National Minimum Wage? National Minimum Wage legislation was essentially introduced to stop exploitation of workers and to provide a fair labour market. The legislation sets out the pay rates per hour which employers must pay their employees. There are three age-based rates and an apprentice rate.…
Workers with employment disputes will soon be required to fill out an 'Early conciliation form' - with basic details of the claimant and the company - before they can submit an employment claim to an Employment Tribunal. The mandatory early conciliation form, proposed to come into force on 6th April 2014, will not require details of the acts or incidents raised by the claimant, and therefore, the first the company will know of any such claim against them will be when Acas contacts them for…
A Lincoln builder has been handed a four-month suspended prison sentence after a bricklayer fell three metres from faulty scaffolding, breaking his back in three places. Robert Wilkin, 70, of Lincoln, was left paralysed from the waist down and confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life following the incident at a warehouse on Freeman Road, North Hykeham, on 14 February 2013.An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identified serious safety failings in the construction of the scaffolding too be used…
