All Tax and legislation articles – Page 20
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OpinionSusannah Bottriell: Will government guidance on ethnicity pay reporting create more equal workplaces?
Following the UK government's commitment in March 2022, on 17 April this year it published its guidance on ethnicity pay gap reporting. Unlike gender pay gap reporting, ethnicity pay reporting is voluntary. Many elements of the government’s guidance align with gender pay gap reporting guidance, particularly the calculations. The guidance ...
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ArticleNeonatal, carer and family leave acts receive Royal Assent
The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act, the Carer’s Leave Act and the Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act have received Royal Assent.Once in force, these government-backed bills will support vulnerable workers and parents during difficult times.The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act, introduced by Stuart C McDonald ...
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ArticleAddison Lee ordered to pay deposits to continue workers’ rights case
An employment tribunal has ordered private hire cab and courier business Addison Lee to pay deposits of up to £125,000 to continue with its legal arguments in the workers’ rights case brought by hundreds of drivers.A 2017 employment tribunal found that Addison Lee drivers were workers and therefore entitled to ...
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OpinionSubecca Sheikh: How can employers support staff going through a divorce?
A year has passed since the introduction of the no-fault divorce. The idea behind it was to pave the way for amicable collaboration, easing negotiations and overall reducing the mental health impact of divorce. It was a way to make the process manageable and approachable.The law was set to forge ...
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OpinionJoanna Powis and Alison Heaton: Is a four-day week the future of work?
Coming out of the pandemic, there has been an increased focus on work-life balance, mental health and wellbeing, and employers’ roles in supporting staff on these fronts. Employers in some industries have also seen a talent war emerge as they find it harder to recruit and retain the best employees.These ...
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ArticleGinza Japanese Restaurant repays staff forced to share tips
US-based Ginza Japanese Restaurant has repaid 75 server employees a total of $262,000 (£209,220) after forcing them to share their tips with chefs, owners and managers.An investigation by the US Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division found that the sushi restaurant, located in Fort Myers, Florida, required staff ...
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ArticleDial A Ride to pay £12,500 in unfair dismissal and holiday pay compensation
Non-profit transport service Dial A Ride, the trading name of Blackburn and Darwen Community Transport, has been ordered to compensate a former driver in a dispute concerning unfair dismissal, employment status and holiday pay.The case concerned claimant A Russell, who worked as a driver from 2018, providing transport for vulnerable ...
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OpinionMichelle Hobbs: Maternity protections are on their way
The Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill is expected to receive its final reading in the House of Lords imminently, and should be passed into law soon.The bill aims to extend current protections from redundancy for expectant and new mothers, and introduce new protections for those taking and returning from ...
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ArticleTipping Bill passes into law to make withholding tips illegal
The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill, or Tipping Bill, has received royal consent and passed into law, making the withholding of tips from staff illegal.The government predicted that this would protect more than two million employees, as well as allowing them to view an employer's tipping record. It also suggested ...
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OpinionShireen Shaikh: The right to request predictable work patterns
Casual, temporary and agency workers will have new rights and protections if a government-backed private member's bill, the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Bill, becomes law. In particular, the right to request a more predictable working pattern might relate to the number of hours they work in a week, the ...
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OpinionPaul Reeves and Leanne Raven: Are employees entitled to the King's Coronation bank holiday?
It has been announced that there will be an extra bank holiday to celebrate the King's Coronation on Monday 8 May, which will form a special three-day weekend for many, but not all, employees.Whether an employee is legally entitled to this extra bank holiday depends on the wording of their ...
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ArticleSwift Lawyers to pay nearly £19,000 in unfair dismissal case
Law firm Swift Lawyers has been ordered to pay damages of £18,800 after an employment tribunal found that it had unfairly dismissed a pregnant paralegal.Farzana Yasin joined the firm in 2017 to work on cavity wall insulation claims. She had two consecutive maternity leave periods from October 2018, returned to ...
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OpinionNicholas Jervis: The rise of unfair dismissals and impact on employee benefits
The ongoing economic uncertainty and evolving labour market conditions caused by the pandemic have increased pressure on businesses to cut costs and adapt to a rapidly changing business landscape. To address financial strain, some employers might resort to dismissals that are unjust or not in compliance with UK employment laws. ...
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ArticleGovernment launches review to boost employment prospects for autistic people
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has launched a government review designed to investigate boosting employment prospects for autistic people.Mel Stride MP, secretary of state for work and pensions, has appointed Sir Robert Buckland MP to lead the review, which aims to consider how the government can work with ...
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ArticleThe Oak Trust loses age discrimination and unfair dismissal case
A school manager at The Oak Trust in Oldham, Lancashire, who lost her job days before she was eligible for her pension, has won an age discrimination and unfair dismissal case.Suzanne Millar started working as a school business manager at Fir Bank Primary School, which is owned by the trust, ...
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ArticleSainsbury’s loses appeal to throw out equal pay bid
Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s has had its appeal regarding store workers’ equal pay claims rejected by the Court of Appeal.The retailer argued that the 700 claims, submitted to the employment tribunal eight years ago, did not include the correct reference number from a certificate issued by the Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration ...
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OpinionAlexandra Farmer: Further protections needed for pregnant employees
The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Bill is well on its way through the House of Lords. Currently at committee stage - at which point every clause of the bill has to be agreed and votes on amendments can take place - the bill will give further protections ...
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OpinionHolly Navarro: Supporting Muslim staff during Ramadan
In today’s richly diverse society, employers must demonstrate an understanding of the cultural variances of employees, and foster an inclusive working environment, ensuring multi-faith workforces are listened to and respected. An openness to making reasonable adjustments during this time will help improve employee satisfaction and embed inclusivity and diversity within ...
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ArticleEuropean Union adopts pay transparency legislation
The European Parliament, the legislative body of the European Union (EU), has voted to accept pay transparency legislation that calls for employers to disclose salaries and existing gender pay gaps.Under the rules, employers will base their pay structures and levels on gender-neutral criteria and include gender-neutral job evaluation and classification ...
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ArticleHina Belitz: Do Parliament’s legislative proposals do enough to enhance women’s rights in the workplace?
With the growth of flexible working and the narrowing - albeit slowly - of the gender pay gap, it seems like we are on the right trajectory for all members of society, particularly women, to participate in the workforce actively and equally. This is supported by recent legislative proposals, which ...