Latest News

The right to additional paternity leave is now available to parents of babies due on or after 3 April 2011, and to adoptive parents notified of their match for adoption on or after that date.  

 

WBR are hosting an Auction Night in aid of Help for Heroes.  The event will take place on 31st March 2011 at 8pm and will be held at the Railway Hotel in Nantwich.

The Government has not yet announced any timetable for this, but the Government is launching a review that could well see some small companies excluded from stringent employment laws.

 

Miriam O’Reilly was one of four women aged in their 40’s and 50’s who were informed in November 2008 that they would be axed from the show when it moved to a new time slot on Sunday evenings.

From 1st Februrary 2011, the new maximum compensatory award for unfair dismissal will increase from £65,300 to £68,400.

The Minister of State for the Department for Work and Pensions has announced the proposed rates for statutory sick pay and statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay for 2011.  The changes are expected to come into force on 11 April 2011.

 

Employment legislation is always changing.  Below is an overview of new laws that employers can expect to see over the coming months.

At WBR, we believe in lending support to worthy causes, and this year we have nominated Help for Heroes as our charity. To start our campaign, Mike is going to be trekking 180 miles over Offas Dyke, which he aims to complete in a week. We're sure you will agree this is a worthwhile cause, so to lend your support, please make donations at:

A drafting error in the Equality Act 2010 makes enforcing compromise agreements pertaining to discrimination and equal pay claims impossible the Law Society has warned. 

Blackpool Transport in Lancashire has suspended two of their bus drivers this week, telling them that they have to lose 7lb in four weeks. 

BRITISH comedy-drama Made in Dagenham opened at cinemas at the weekend putting the rights of women in the workplace back in the spotlight again.

 

The Equality Act comes into force on 1 October 2010 and harmonises and replaces previous legislation and ensures a fair working environment. The act extends the protection of certain characteristics and strengthens certain aspects of equality law. Therefore, it is advisable to review your company’s policies and practices.

 

The Equality Act is an extensive document containing over 300 pages so we have set out below the key changes which are likely to affect your business.

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The Government has published three further sets of Regulations relating to the Equality Act 2010 that is due to come into force in October 2010.

WBR have launched a new service - delivering employment law and health and safety training to employers at a time, date and venue convenient to them.

 

The Partners at WBR know how difficult it is fitting training into busy schedules, and often there is an element of travelling to courses that just takes more time, so they decided they would hit the road and take the training to employers!

The Government has published the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999 (Amendment) Regulations 2010.

The Employment Tribunals Service has published its Annual Statistics Report for 2009 / 10, which shows an increase of 56% in claims being made.

MEP’s have adopted a resolution calling for efforts to harmonise the level of fines across EU countries in relation lorry drivers who commit working time related road safety infringements.

The authorities have warned that employers should beware of staff watching world cup games online, if they do not have a TV licence.

Employee issues and how to deal with them

According to figures from the UK Border Agency, the total annual fines paid by employers for taking on illegal workers doubled last year.

As the dust has settled, it is apparent that the recent eruption of the volcano in Iceland and subsequent flight disruption caused has resulted in thousands of employees being stranded abroad.

Employees at Carlsberg staged a wildcat 3 day strike after their access to limitless beer was cut off at the Danish Brewery.

From 6 April 2010 doctors will no longer issue a “sick note”. Instead they will issue a new kind of medical statement dubbed the 'fit note'.  

It is difficult to recall a time when we have not been swamped by changes to employment law, say the Partners at William B. Rose....and this year is unlikely to be any different even with a general election looming.

Employment law becomes ever more complex each and every year and with the country in the midst of a recession, William B. Rose was launched to help businesses work through the minefield that is employment law legislation.