The Parental Leave Directive (2010/18/EC) increases the minimum parental leave provision from three to four months. Member States were required to implement the Directive by 8th March 2012. However, Member States can delay implementation by a year if this is necessary “to take account of particular difficulties”. It has been reported that the Department for […]
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published a revised timetable to reflect the new date by which smaller employers will be subject to the auto-enrolment duties. According to the new timetable, auto-enrolment will apply for everyone by February 2018.This follows a Government announcement in November 2011 that businesses would be given more time […]
As part of the Government’s reforms into employment regulation it has proposed the introduction of fees for claims to the employment tribunal. If you wish to comment on the proposals Agency Zone has condensed the consultation into a short survey (which should only take a minute or two to complete) here. The Government’s aim is […]
Unless you have been deprived of television and internet usage for the past month, you would have been witness to the recent media uprising against the use of limited companies by individuals as a mechanism for providing services, most notably those working in the public sector. Contractors therefore may be wondering if there will be […]
A dispute over LinkedIn has led to perhaps the first constructive dismissal case of its kind; the relationship between former HR exec John Flexman and his employer BG Group was tarnished when the individual posted ‘private’ information on his public LinkedIn profile. Mr Flexman handed in his resignation in June 2011, following a disciplinary hearing […]
For once this is not an article about a derogation of the Swedish variety! Norway’s largest workers’ organisation, The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) has announced that it will not support the implementation of the EU Temporary Agency Workers Directive which intends to offer agency workers more protection and make it easier for employers […]
‘Personal service’ is an important factor in determining whether various pieces of tax legislation apply, including IR35 and sections 44-47 ITEPA. Two recent cases appear to highlight a possible conflict in approach. 1) HMRC v Talentcore (2011). This case concerns the Agency Worker Tax Rules (sections 44-77 ITEPA). Individuals were supplied to cosmetic companies for […]
According to Dr Cliff Arnall, creator of the equation that calculates the ‘most depressing day of the year’, we are in the midst of a miserable time. This can lead to poor productivity and increased levels of staff sickness. It may therefore be a good idea for employers to review their company sickness absence policies. […]
The revelation that Ed Lester, Chief Executive of the Student Loans Company, was having his £182,000 salary paid through his own personal service company as part of a tax avoidance scheme has brought such arrangements into the public eye. Whilst the use of such companies is common knowledge to those in the recruitment industry, the […]
We are at that time of year when increases in tribunal awards and calculations are due to be applied and this year is no different from any other. The amount an individual can receive if made redundant or unfairly dismissed will increase from 1st February 2012 as follows: The cap on ‘a week’s pay’ used […]
