Tax & Legislation opinion – Page 3
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OpinionEmma Clark: Will 2024 see a focus on women’s health in the workplace?
Employers are waking up to women’s health and our legislation is not keeping up with the workplace. In light of that, 2024 will likely see renewed focus on the need to support women's health in respect of menstruation, menopause and fertility.The younger generation seems less embarrassed about informing colleagues that ...
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OpinionBen Daniel: How can employers help solve absenteeism in the office?
In the UK, tackling absenteeism in the office requires employers to understand and fulfil their legal obligations regarding the health, safety, and welfare of their employees. The law mandates that employers must do what is reasonably practicable to protect their employees' health, safety and welfare, including mental health, as well ...
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OpinionAnna Schiavetta: Supporting menopause in the workplace
There remains a considerable lack of awareness or understanding of menopause. With menopausal women constituting the fastest-growing demographic in today’s workforce, it is fundamental for employers to be aware of the ways they can support their employees who are going through the menopause. There are crucial considerations for employers and ...
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OpinionMirit Ehrenstein and Louise Mason: Changes to remuneration, pay transparency and diversity metrics in 2023
The end of 2023 saw considerable changes to regulation and guidance around many employment issues, including remuneration, pay transparency and diversity metrics.The bonus cap has been removed. This means that UK banks that had to limit variable remuneration to 200% of fixed pay are now permitted to pay bonuses at ...
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OpinionRichard Knight and Amy Davies: Responses to Mansion House reforms in Autumn Statement
The Autumn Statement from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt included well-trailed measures that show the government has listened to the industry’s responses to the Mansion House reforms. There are a number of details that must be worked through, in particular for the reduction in small defined contribution (DC) pots.Following its call for ...
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OpinionYvonne Gallagher: Supreme Court rules that Deliveroo riders are not workers in collective bargaining case
The Supreme Court has upheld the earlier decision of the High Court and Court of Appeal in rejecting the claim by trade union the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB), which was seeking to compel Deliveroo to recognise it for the purposes of collective bargaining on behalf of riders working ...
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OpinionAnna Dabek: Creating a menopause friendly workplace for womens’ wellbeing
More women are citing menopause as a reason for claims of discrimination or unfair dismissal at tribunal. The number of cases which did so increased by 44% in 2021.Menopause is not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. That said, over the last couple of years, women have brought ...
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OpinionElla Bond: The effects of a tribunal about dismissal regarding returning to office
In the legal case Follows v Nationwide Building Society, an employee was awarded almost £350,000 in compensation after successfully claiming unfair dismissal and indirect disability discrimination by association. The case serves as a stark reminder for employers to exercise caution when imposing mandates for employees to return to the office, ...
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OpinionRhiannon Barnsley: Automatic-enrolment act is no cure for the epidemic of under-saving
The Royal Assent of the Pensions (Extension of Automatic-Enrolment) Act marks a significant development in the UK pension landscape. There are notable changes that could shape the retirement savings framework for certain employers and employees, but more needs to be done to fix the consistent under-saving for retirement that is ...
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OpinionAdrian Crawford: Bankers’ bonuses uncapped
The bankers’ bonus cap has been scrapped in the UK from 31 October 2023 as a post-Brexit measure reportedly designed to liberalise City pay and boost the competitiveness of the UK as a financial centre.First introduced by the European Union in 2014 in response to the 2008 financial crisis, the ...
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OpinionColin Godfrey: Supreme Court ruling on unlawful wages deduction from unpaid or underpaid holiday pay
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court handed down its judgment in the important case of Chief Constable of Northern Ireland v Agnew. In a judgment that will be welcomed, the Supreme Court has determined that, in a claim by an employee for an unlawful deduction of wages arising from unpaid ...
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OpinionJenny Arrowsmith: The growing issue of menopause in the workplace
HM Courts and Tribunal Service’s June 2023 data revealed an increasing number of employment tribunal cases citing menopause as a contributing factor. There has been a steady rise in cases over the past few years. In 2017, there were five cases, increasing to six in 2018 and seven in 2019. ...
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OpinionLaura Tracey and Rubina Kakuji: How to support your employees during Baby Loss Awareness Week
Baby Loss Awareness Week is held every year in the UK from 9 – 15 October and is a time for people to come together to commemorate the lives of babies lost in pregnancy or at or soon after birth.Regardless of the stage of the pregnancy that loss occurs, it ...
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OpinionAudrey Williams: How can EU equal pay regulation benefit UK workers?
The government has confirmed that it will ensure European Union (EU) derived protection under equal pay laws will remain in place for employees and workers. It is important to remember the assurances given previously, that leaving the EU would not have the effect of eroding employment rights.This has come under ...
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OpinionChristopher Hitchins: The impact of The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023
In a bid to address the new types of working patterns that are associated with the gig economy, the government’s long-awaited private members’ bill entitled The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 has received Royal Assent in the House of Lords.The bill, which forms part of the government’s 2017 ...
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OpinionSarah Clay: Should pension schemes trace missing members?
Many pension schemes will have missing members to whom benefits are due but cannot be paid as they are not contactable.As people move house, change their name or change their contact details, they may update as many organisations as they can with their new details. But what happens if they ...
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OpinionDanielle Ayres: How employers can ensure future resilience for workplace absences
It is crucial to ensure employers have crystal clear practices and policies for managing employee absences. Employers which properly invest in handling absences in the right way will see a marked improvement in staff performance, retention, productivity and business resilience.Absence management is central to ensuring ongoing business operations, helping minimise ...
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OpinionKris Weber: The impact of BBC v Christina Burns on pension costs
BBC v Christina Burns concerns the ability of employers to amend their old-fashioned and prohibitively expensive defined benefit pension schemes to make cost-saving changes. Often this is done by closing a scheme to future accrual, so members no longer earn any further benefits in it. The court said the BBC ...
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OpinionHelen Burgess: Back to school and the impact on employees
It’s nearly that time of year again where parents and their children start planning for the return to or start of school. The school day and the typical 9am to 5pm working schedule are not aligned and parent employees may request to change their start and finish times permanently, or ...
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OpinionAmanda Trewhella: Supporting employees with menstrual health and menopause transition
Women’s health, and in particular the menopause transition, is a topical issue that has finally received significant coverage in the media during the last year or so.In the UK there are currently no legal regulations specifically requiring employers to provide support to people affected by menstruation issues or the menopause. ...