4 April 2007

hr & legal

Statutory Sick pay

The standard rate of statutory sick pay will increase to £72.55 per week from Friday 6 April 2007.

Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Pay

The standard rates of statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay were increased to £112.75 per week from Sunday 1 April 2007.

Reminder of New Maternity Rights

From 1 April, all pregnant employees will be entitled to 52 weeks maternity leave, irrespective of service. This is a consequence of regulations brought in under the Work and Families Act 2006. It is one of a number of changes to family friendly rights and rights to adoption and maternity leave.

Cosmetic Surgery – what is your policy?

Once the preserve of the rich and famous, thousands of women and increasing numbers of men are going under the knife in search of a new persona. In fact, Britain is fast becoming the plastic surgery capital of Europe.

Information and Consultation Legislation extended to employers with 100 or more employees as from 6 April 2007

More than 10,000 businesses not presently affected by the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations will need to be aware of their provisions from 6 April 2007, when they will be extended to include all employers having 100 or more employees.

Case law briefing - UK sex discrimination legislation does not comply with EU law

The High Court has ruled that the UK’s sex discrimination laws do not currently comply with European law. We look at the implications of this ruling.

Case law briefing – do not rely on expired disciplinary warnings

The EAT has confirmed that that an expired disciplinary warning could not be relied on to justify the dismissal of an employee for misconduct in circumstances where his fellow employees, guilty of the same misconduct but with clean disciplinary records, were not dismissed.

Case law update - Who is a worker and why does it matter?

In the recent case of James v Redcats (Brands) Ltd , the EAT looked at how to identify workers. We explain what this will mean for you.

EEF's Response to the government's Personal Accounts White Paper

EEF has expressed broad support for most of the proposals in the government’s personal accounts White Paper, Personal Accounts: A New Way to Save.

DTI launches consultation on whether the statutory dispute resolution procedures should be abolished

The DTI’s consultation follows a wide-ranging independent review of methods for resolving disputes in the workplace, commissioned by the Secretary of State.

Standard application form for approval of binding corporate rules

The EU has now published a standard application form for use by companies seeking approval of their binding corporate rules.

Equalities Review publishes its final report

Two years ago the government commissioned an independent review into the causes of persistent discrimination and inequality in British society. The Review, has now published its final report: Fairness and Freedom: the Final Report of the Equalities Review.

Employment law simplification

This briefing article summarises the aims of the DTI’s Employment Law Simplification Review (ELSR), that of reducing the compliance costs and complexity of employment law without diluting employee or union rights.

health, safety & environmental services

Changes to CE marking regime

DTI are consulting on proposals for an EU regulation and an EU decision designed to strengthen and modernise the conditions for the marketing of a wide range of products in the EU.

EEF fights proposed new duties on worker involvement

HSE is asking the social partners (employers and unions) about the possibility of including a new duty to consult safety reps on risk assessments, and a new duty to respond to safety reps' representations, in the approved code of practice on the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977.

NEBOSH National Certificate (Level 3) in Construction Safety and Health

A 15-day block release course to be held at St James’s House on 11-15 June, 2-6 July and 13-17 August 2007.

Health & Safety Awareness

A one-day practical workshop to be held at St James’s House on Tuesday 8 May 2007.

IOSH Managing Safely

A day-release course to be held at St James’s House on four consecutive Thursdays – 26 April, 3, 10 and 17 May 2007.

Reviewing the Exemptions from Waste Management Licensing

DEFRA and the Environment Agency have launched a review of waste management licensing exemptions.

Information & Research

Pay Settlements

A latest review of the pay settlements

Policy & Representation

The Business of Government: Promoting the Productivity Agenda

The responsibility for promoting economic and business growth in the UK is shared across a number of government departments. With a new Prime Minister taking office later in 2007, there is much debate about what steps, if any, he or she should take to reorganise that structure.

Weekly Policy Briefing - 30 March 2007

EEF's weekly review of developments in policy & representation

Other

Telecommunications – improving efficiency and saving costs

A half day workshop to be held on Tuesday 5 June 2007 at St James’s House.

Association Golf Society – Membership for 2007 Season

All executives of member companies who are members of recognised golf clubs are invited to rejoin/join the Association Golf Society in 2007.

Search is on for Midlands World Trade Forum Exporter of the Year

Businesses in the West Midlands that have succeeded in overseas markets over the past year are being invited to put their names forward for a prestigious export award.