Opinion – Page 13
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OpinionLaura Tracey: How employers can support staff with the loss of a child
Baby Loss Awareness Week (9-15 October) is when many who are affected by the loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death or termination for medical reasons, come together in remembrance and support in both their personal and working lives.Employees who suffer from a miscarriage before 24 weeks do ...
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OpinionLauren Wilkinson: Collective defined contribution pensions offer employers greater control
As UK pension provision shifts increasingly away from defined benefit (DB) schemes, collective defined contribution (CDC) plans could be an attractive option for employers looking at closing existing DB schemes in order to have greater certainty and control over costs.It could also appeal to employers currently providing DC arrangements which ...
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OpinionConfessions of a benefits manager: Candid integrates a new location
As part of the Higher Being’s strategy for world domination, we have bought out an organisation in east Germany. We have several locations in Germany already, but apparently this firm brings a unique blend of synergies to our niche technology. That is what we always say about random acquisitions, so ...
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OpinionMartin Williams: Conservative plans would render strike action ineffective
Earlier this year, former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps expressed shock at how workers were treated by P and O Ferries, when the firm sacked hundreds of staff members without notice. The government had promised to introduce an employment bill to protect workers. Change was needed to prevent other mass sackings, ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Will staff look to employers for support on rising mortgage rates?
A week on from the government’s Mini Budget, and many individuals and employers are still working through the ramifications and exactly what it means for them.The challenges many households are currently facing due to the cost-of-living crisis are well documented. However, with interest rates now expected to rise following the ...
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OpinionYvonne Gallagher: Bumpy ride for Deliveroo in workers’ union challenge
The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) Union has announced plans to pursue claims previously made against Deliveroo on behalf of riders and drivers. These assert that the riders are workers for the purpose of a variety of employment statutory rights, in particular the right to union recognition, but also ...
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OpinionLee McIntyre-Hamilton: How to manage a globally remote workforce compliantly
The rise of globally remote workers and digital nomads is a lasting legacy of Covid-19 (Coronavirus). Employers are now grappling with how to embrace or at least accommodate the new landscape, not least in order to attract and retain scarce talent. The UK Office of Tax Simplification’s consultation on globally ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Supporting staff following the death of HM Queen Elizabeth
Credit: McCarthy's PhotoWorks / Shutterstock.comLast week, all of us at Employee Benefits were saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.As the nation now prepares for her funeral on Monday, many organisations have been working to plan for the event and the additional unexpected bank holiday. ...
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OpinionSarah Taylor: How can employers organise an unplanned bank holiday?
Following the announcement of Monday’s bank holiday earlier this week, businesses have been rushing to plan accordingly. There are no statutory rules that employers must follow for public holidays as every organisation will differ in its approach, influenced in a large part by the way in which its employment contracts ...
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OpinionJoe Aiston and Ruth Moffett: Uber's revenue increase could shift the gig economy's take on workers
In February 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that Uber drivers are workers and not independent contractors. This judgment has inevitably led to higher costs for Uber, with the ride share business now being required to ensure compliance with national minimum wage, holiday pay and put in place minimum pension contributions ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Will the cost of living impact working arrangements?
Could the rising cost of living soon influence employees’ attitudes to hybrid working?Over the past few years, hybrid working has increasingly become the norm for millions of employees, with many keen to continue working from home for at least part of the week. In many cases, where employers have stipulated ...
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OpinionClaire Haworth: A remote working law may not solve the UK’s labour shortage
It is rumoured that the government is thinking of implementing a law extending the existing right to request flexible working. This would give employees greater flexibility in terms of how they work, including the right to remote working, as set out in the 2019 Employment Bill.At present, only employees with ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Should the UK move to a four-day week?
Last week, The Telegraph featured an article focusing on the experiences of several organisations currently participating in the UK’s pilot of a four-day working week.During the pilot, which is running between June and December 2022, more than 3,000 employees from 70 organisations across the UK will work 80% of their ...
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OpinionHelena Rosenstein: What’s next for gig economy workers and their benefits?
The tug of war between gig economy workers and their employers continues. The last round saw GMB, the union representing gig economy workers, their rights, and their benefits, take legal action against Uber and win. Now, the union has Bolt firmly in its sights. While the Supreme Court ruled in ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: The great talent conundrum
In a week that saw A-level students receive their exam results and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) publish its latest Labour Market Statistics, it is perhaps unsurprising that talent recruitment and retention have been the subject of much discussion.While the ONS report showed that vacancy rates in the UK ...
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OpinionSamantha Dickinson: Will workers’ rights be eroded by government legislation?
As millions of public sector workers face below-inflation pay deals, the stage is set for a summer of continued discontent. So, how will the government’s decision to allow agency workers to cover in the event of further strike action affect the gathering storm clouds?Previously the Conduct of Employment Agencies and ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: How far can financial support stretch?
As the summer of discontent continues, with reports of staff strikes hitting the headlines almost daily, it is hardly surprising that pay appears to be high on many employers’ agendas. This week alone, employers including Network Rail, Port of Bristol and Lufthansa have resolved pay disputes with staff accepting offered ...
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OpinionLee McIntyre-Hamilton: The tax impact of new employment status guidance
On 26 July 2022, the government published its response to a consultation on employment status, alongside associated guidance. The rules on employment status are important for both businesses and individuals, because they determine employment rights, such as entitlement to the national minimum wage and holiday pay, and whether a business ...
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OpinionCharlie Thompson: Will there be more claims now Long Covid is recognised as disability?
Recently, an employment tribunal in Scotland held that an employee with Long Covid-19 (Coronavirus) was disabled under the Equality Act 2010. This is the first decision of its kind, and will not be the last.The tribunal’s decision is not surprising. It was only a matter of time until an employment ...
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OpinionLovewell's logic: Ensuring support for menopausal staff
This week, the Women and Equalities Committee published a report calling on the government to act to amend the Equality Act, in order to introduce menopause as a protected characteristic, and to include a duty for employers to make reasonable adjustments for menopausal staff. This follows last month’s initial confirmation ...