National Minimum Wage Fine Increased for Non-conforming Employers The maximum fine for an employer’s failure to pay an employee the National Minimum Wage has been increased. Until the 25th May the maximum penalty that could be imposed was £20,000 per notice of national minimum wage underpayment, which was the same fine regardless of the number…
Should Smoking Policies Include the Use of E-Cigarettes? A recent employment tribunal ruling has highlighted the need for employers to consider whether the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) should be included within their smoking policies. Currently the legislation prohibiting smoking in the workplace defines smoking as lit tobacco or any other substance that can…
Employed or Self-Employed? There has been much commentary in recent months around the subject of bogus self-employment as a tax avoidance measure. With the HMRC clamping down on the misuse of self-employed workers, it is important that employers are making the correct distinction between the hiring of employees, contractors and workers. Aside from…
Abolition of the Counterpart to the Photocard Driving Licence From 8 June 2015, the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence will not be valid and will no longer be issued by DVLA. The counterpart was introduced to display driving licence details that could not be included on the photocard. These details include some…
National Minimum Wage Changes Announced The Government has announced an increase in the National Minimum Wage (NMW) which will come into force on 1st October 2015. The announcement sees the largest real-terms increase in the adult pay rate since 2008 and the Government has claimed the above inflation 3% increase will benefit more than…
Bus Driver Unfairly Dismissed After Positive Drugs Test A Bristol bus driver has won his claim for unfair dismissal after proving his employer’s drugs test results were wrong. Alan Bailes was employed by First Bus for 22 years and had a clean disciplinary record. He participated in a random saliva test for drugs…
Guidance on Health and Safety Fines Due to dissatisfaction with the lack of comprehensive guidance for sentencing of fatal health and safety offences and corporate manslaughter the Sentencing Council has drafted new guidance and opened consultation to review the guidelines for corporate manslaughter and other health and safety offences. The aim is to create a…
HSE Successful Asbestos Prosecution A businessman allowed the spread of asbestos in an industrial building by not employing licensed contractors to remove the potentially deadly material, a court has heard. Peter Rees, the owner of a business unit in Eagle Farm Road on the Mochdre Business Park, was selling the building to another…
Shared Parental Leave Shared Parental Leave is a new right that will enable eligible mothers, fathers, partners and adopters to choose how to share their time off work after their child is born or placed into a family. An employee may be entitled to Shared Parental Leave (SPL) and Statutory Shared Parental Pay (ShPP) if:…
Employers Named and Shamed for National Minimum Wage Breaches 37 firms across the UK have been recently named and shamed by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DBIS) for not paying the National Minimum Wage to employees. Fines for non payment have totalled £51,000 and affected staff will also receive £177,000 in under paid wages.…
