World Cup office sweepstakes could leave employers facing legal red cards Legal With the World Cup set to kick off on Thursday, many offices across the City will be gearing up to offer employees the chance to participate in competitions – known as sweepstakes – to place informal bets on who might win. Sweepstakes involve participants paying a fee into a cash pot and being randomly assigned [...]
Rising hiring costs push British businesses to the brink Business UK businesses are on the brink due to the government’s highly contentious employment rights agenda and cost hikes, following the first provisions of the Employment Rights Act, which came into force in April. According to new research from Employment Hero, an AI-powered employment platform, more than half of UK businesses feel employing staff has “become more [...]
Rachel Reeves warned against piling on small business tax pain Business As Rachel Reeves circles new avenues to boost tax receipts, the Chancellor has faced a fresh warning to ease the pain for small businesses. Businesses have called for Reeves to reverse her Autumn Budget tax hikes and ease the burden for firms as they suffer the crunch of economic uncertainty. One in five small- and [...]
The Debate: Should there be a legal maximum temperature for offices? July 2, 2025 As London summers heat up, is it time the UK mandates a maximum working temperature for the office? Two writers go head to head.
Recruiter SThree holds guidance despite ‘challenging’ market conditions September 24, 2024 SThree, the recruiter specialising in STEM fields, reported a six per cent contraction in its quarterly order book, which sits at £167m.
The Debate: Should workers have the right to a four-day week? September 5, 2024 Would you want to compress your hours into a four-day week? The answer won't be the same for all employees...
Four-day working week will not be imposed on employers, says Government August 30, 2024 The Government has denied it will force businesses to allow staff to work a four-day week but said it supports flexible working. Education minister Baroness Jacqui Smith dismissed a report in The Telegraph that Labour’s Make Work Pay plans could force businesses to accept employees’ demands for a four-day week. She told LBC radio: “We [...]
Next ruling heralds employment law headache August 28, 2024 The Employment Tribunal accepted that the difference in pay rates between Next’s shop floor staff and their warehouse-based colleagues was not down to “direct discrimination” or the “conscious or subconscious influence of gender” on pay decisions. Why, then, did the retailer lose the claim brought by store staff? The answer concerns the much thornier issue [...]
Grounded verdict: Tribunal kicks out British Airways appeal in cabin crew case August 15, 2024 British Airways has had its appeal over a key section of the Equality Act kicked out by the Tribunal today, an appeal that saw intervention from the Government
Britain’s paltry paternity leave is yet another thing pricing out parenthood August 10, 2024 Two weeks of paternity leave places Britain firmly near the bottom of fatherly league tables. It’s time to extend it, writes Cameron Smith After months of nervous anticipation for your first child’s arrival, the best-laid plans often go awry. As a new dad, you’ll listen closely to the birth plan your partner carefully arranges with [...]