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Maternity / Paternity
The Government is expected to announce proposals to make the second six months of maternity leave transferrable between parents.
According to reports, the Government will say fathers will have a legal right to take the place of the mother at home for the last three months of her nine-month maternity leave.
During that time they would be eligible for statutory government pay of £123 a week.
They will then be allowed to take an additional unpaid three months off, which would allow parents to have a total of 12 months' leave between them.
The Government plans to allow parents the right to essentially swap maternity leave, with fathers also being to take on some of the mother's entitlement, is part of its drive to allow more flexibility in the workplace for parents. It remains to be seen whether fathers will feel able to take the extended period of leave to look after a new baby.
TUC General Secretary,Brendan Barber stated: "These proposals will help millions of people balance their work and family life. As both parents work in most modern families, it's right that mums and dads should decide who looks after their baby, rather than the state deciding for them by only paying the mother for parental leave.
Business lobby groups have opposed every new family-friendly right, from flexible working to extended maternity pay. But in reality these changes have hugely benefitted millions of families and have had no damaging effect on businesses.
Date posted: 28-Jan-10
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The Training Act.
From 6 April 2010, firms that have 250 or more employees will have a duty to consider seriously requests from their employees for time to receive training away from their normal duties.
Employers will not be forced to agree to every request. They can refuse requests if the training does not improve employee effectiveness or the performance of the employer’s business.
Employers are not obliged to pay for the associated costs of the training and an employer will only be required to consider one request every year.
The right will be extended to all employees in firms of whatever size by 6 April 2011.
The Act of Parliament that has introduced this new right is the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009
Date posted: 23-Nov-09
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National Identity Cards
The Identity and Passport Service will soon be launching two new identity cards, the National Identity Card and the Identification Card.
They are part of the rollout of the National Identity Service and it is
important you make sure your business is ready.
This free business pack will help get your business prepared for
identity cards. It contains leaflets showing cards’ security features,
as well as posters and display stickers. These will help you to brief
your staff and let your customers know that you are ready to accept identity cards.
For your free pack cut and paste into your browser:
http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1083357922&type=CAMPAIGN&furlname=idsmart&furlparam=idsmart&ref=&domain=www.businesslink.gov.uk
Date posted: 20-Nov-09
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Retirement ruling
New judgement allowing employers to require employees to retire at 65 years old.
The decision in the Heyday appeal has, just today, been handed down by the High Court which has ruled that the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, allowing employers to require employees to retire at age 65, are lawful.
Date posted: 28-Sep-09
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End of the road for sick notes?
Last week the Government announced details of the new 'Fit Note'. It is intended to replace the current MED3 sick note. The ‘Fit Note’ is designed so that people get good advice about staying in work and, if they cannot work, what their employer can do to help them return to work sooner. The intention is to prevent employees having unnecessarily long sickness absence.
Background
The new arrangement comes out of the Government’s ‘Improving Health and Work: Changing Lives’ response to Dame Carol Black’s report published on 17 March 2008. In ‘Working for a Healthier Tomorrow’, Dame Black stated that the focus should be on “what people can do instead of what they cannot, and potentially improving communications between employers and GPs”. The report noted that the use of an electronic certification system linked to GPs' surgeries computing systems would promote quicker and easier communication between GPs and employers, giving the potential for ‘Fit Notes’ to be passed between them electronically if the patient agrees. The report recommended promoting the positive relationship between health and work.
Health Minister Ben Bradshaw stated; “Getting people back into work quicker is good for their health as well as the country’s finances. The Fit Note will give GPs a new opportunity to benefit their patients and I look forward to it being used in surgeries everywhere”.
Developed with the support of healthcare professionals, employer representatives and trade unions, the new ‘Fit Notes’ will roll-out across Great Britain in the Spring of 2010 with the aim that ‘Fit Notes’ will be computer-generated in GPs surgeries, replacing the current hand written version.
Rather than just having one 'fit / unfit' to work choice, as per the current MED3 form, the new 'Fit Note' will contain suggestions as to how an unwell individual can be eased back into work. The revised certificate has already been tested by more than 500 GPs' surgeries.
However, Dr Hamish Meldrum, chairman of the BMA Council, issued a note of caution stating, “The GP must continue to act as the patient’s advocate, not a policing arm of the Department of Work and Pensions”.
Date posted: 18-Aug-09
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