http://www.hradvantage.co.uk The latest from HR Advantage Copyright: (C) HR Advantage Ltd 60 en-gb Sun, 5 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/images/rss.gif http://www.hradvantage.co.uk http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/386.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/386.aspx With snow and ice already hitting the North of the country, it won’t be long before those of us who have not yet been affected, have to face the disruption of bad weather on our businesses. As experts in providing Human Resource solutions we at HR Advantage understand that the two most common concerns for business owners are around both the pay and safety of employees who are at work or trying to travel to/with work. Why not prepare yourself for the bad weather with our 2 step plan to avoiding an avalanche? Introduce and... Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/378.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/378.aspx Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0... Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/379.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/379.aspx Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0... Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/381.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/381.aspx Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0... Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/382.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/382.aspx Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0... Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/383.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/383.aspx Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0... Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/384.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/384.aspx Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0... Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/385.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/385.aspx Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USX-NONEX-NONE st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:... Tue, 6 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/376.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/376.aspx As both sides ramp up the rhetoric it looks like there will be public sector strikes on Wednesday 30th... Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/367.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/367.aspx In addition to our excitement about Adhere Trainingbecoming part of HR Advantage and Lisa Butlerjoining our team, we are pleased to announce the arrival of two further seniormembers of staff, Sharon Phillipsand Christie Weston. Sharon is an employment law expert – she has been called to the bar and workedwith the Equal Opportunities Commission and Treasury Solicitors among others. Shejoins our Employment Law team headed by Stephen Finn. Christie Weston is a senior HR consultant. After a corporate career with Hogg Robinson –Christie was head o... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/369.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/369.aspx This month we feature the thorny topics of ‘disciplinaries’ and absence: What is the correct process? How much notice should I give an employee toattend a disciplinary hearing? You need to write a letter to the employee inviting themto the disciplinary meeting. This letter needs to include: reason for the disciplinary date and time of hearing who will be attending employees confirmation of attendance, the employee needs to be aware that they have the right to be accompanied by a trade union representative. The standard and r... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/370.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/370.aspx Recent changes have been made to reflect the new National Minimum Wages rates which came into effect from 1st October 2011. The new rates which will apply are as follows; Age Rates as of 1st October 2011 21 YEARS + (Adult Rate) £6.08 per hour 18 - 20 YEARS INCLUSIVE (Development Rate) £4.98 per hour 16 – 17 YEARS £3.68 per hour APPRENTICE RATES (under 19 or over 19 and in first year of apprenticeship) £2.60 per hour... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/371.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/371.aspx Every big sporting event attracts the usualheadlines about the need for employers to prepare for employees takingadditional time off/ throwing a ‘sickie’. But they don’t come much bigger thanthe London Olympics and with the opening ceremony now just months away, expectthe noise to rise. So, a few tips to help you stay out in the lead….. SpecialFacilities? With so many sports and wall to wall event times it may bedifficult to lay on or organize specialfacilities such as TVs in communal rooms or staff rooms, making radiosavailable or allowing e... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/372.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/372.aspx Unemployment is rising, inflation has reached a new high, demand is flat-lining and the full effect of the public sector cuts have yet to be felt. Plus the slow motion EU version of the original US led banking crisis has yet to play out. The chances have to be that we are in for a double dip recession. And even if the economy doesn’t start to shrink again we are still years away from being back to 2007 levels of economic activity. For the majority of those in work the outlook looks like one of continuing austerity and uncertainty, as pay increa... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/373.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/373.aspx In a survey conducted earlier this year, a quarter of employers stated they monitor employees’ use of social media websites at work, whilst a further quarter actively bans them. In addition almost half of all employers questioned stated that employee misuse of social networks had occurred in their organisation. Such ‘misuse’ has included employees looking at personal web profiles when they are supposed to be working and posting derogatory comments about colleagues and managers. It seems, therefore, that ACAS’s recently released guidance on the... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/374.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/374.aspx We all know the importance of developing and training our staff. Training has many benefits, most obvious is the new skills and knowledge training brings to individuals, teams and businesses but it also acts as a huge motivator for employees to feel valued enough to be invested in. HR Advantage has always recognised the importance of training and development within the HR role, and that’s why we have expanded our training offer by acquiring Adhere Training so we can provide a fully comprehensive training service. We’ll talk more about Adhere Tr... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/375.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/375.aspx The Agency Workers Regulations came into force on 1 October 2011. This article addresses some of the most frequently asked questions about the Regulations.  What do the Agency Workers Regulations do?The Regulations grant greater rights to agency workers: certain rights have been granted from the first day of their employment, and additional rights after a 12-week qualifying period.  Which employers are affected by the Regulations?The Regulations impose obligations on any employer that hires or otherwise uses workers who are defined as ‘agency w... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/361.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/361.aspx The Institute of Directors (IoD) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) are in dispute about the effect of employment law on productivity. The CIPD’s Argument:The CIPD has published a report called "The economic rights and wrongs of employment regulation", in which they say that the UK has one of the least regulated labour markets in the developed world and that there is little evidence to say that employment law is contributing to any lack of productivity in the UK economy compared to competing countries... Tue, 2 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/362.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/362.aspx If your organisation undertakesundertake commercial activity it must comply with the new Bribery Act..  We have already reported on theAct in earlier newsletters and in ourwebinar programme but if your organisation has not yet taken action – it needsto. It is a serious piece of legislation! As a minimum, organisations whowant to comply with the standards set out in the Act should: Have a clear and unambiguous anti-bribery and corruptioncompliance policy that is adequately published internally and overseen by adesignated person at Board level;... Tue, 2 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/363.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/363.aspx Guidance on Agency Workers Regulations is finalised by the Government  The Government has published guidance on the Agency Workers Regulations, which come into force on 1 October 2011. For anyone who uses agency workers this is big news; the legislation is complex and will force some important choices. There are also plenty of organisations will see their costs increase significantly.  Our webinar on 25th August will explain more. Please contact Rej on 01945 451 681 to book your place.  If you can’t wait though, the highlights are: The Regulati... Tue, 2 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/364.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/364.aspx Are employers required to pay school children on work experience the national minimum wage?   The national minimum wage does not apply to school children, regardless of whether they are undertaking work experience or whether they have, for example, a regular Saturday job.   Workers aged 16 and 17 are entitled to a national minimum wage of £3.64 per hour, provided that they have ceased to be of compulsory school age, although 16 and 17 year old apprentices are exempt from this young workers rate.... Tue, 2 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/366.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/366.aspx Whatever ishappening in the economy, our world of providing practical HR support and HROutsourcing has been busy and, fingers crossed, looks set to get busier.  As always ourwork has extended across the whole HR spectrum but we have been particularlyinterested to see an increased demand for our expertise in Employee OpinionSurveys, Recruitment Process Management, TUPE Transfers, Payand Benefit design and Employee Engagement. In the lastthree months we have expanded our HR Admin team alongside the growth ofPeopleLog, our on-line HR system, and H... Tue, 2 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/355.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/355.aspx On Wednesday 23rd March 2011 George Osborne presented his second Budget. In his statement he said that the “Budget is about reforming the nation’s economy, so that we have enduring growth and jobs in the future”.   But what does that mean for you, as an employer? The following information has been sourced and collated to provide you with a bite-sized understanding of how the Budget will affect your organisation.   Key measures include:   Corporation Tax Reduction The main rate... Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/356.aspx http://www.hradvantage.co.uk/news/356.aspx On the 1st of July 2011 the Bribery Act 2010 will be enforced. The act was formerly planned to come into effect in April but the Government postponed publishing of it due to a reexamination of the guidelines as part of the ‘Growth Review’. The Act aims to encourage anti-bribery practices among businesses by introducing a corporate offence of failure to prevent bribery by persons working on behalf of a business. A business will be able to protect itself if it can show that it had "adequate procedures" in place to prevent bribery.Busine... Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT