Employment

£4.7m to support 4,000 people with health problems to stay in work in Wales

Welsh government announces that people taking part in the programme will benefit from rapid access to tailored and work-focused therapeutic interventions designed to help those on, or at risk of, a long-term sickness absence to remain in work or return to work sooner.

Introduction of National Living Wage for frontline care workers will cost £2.3bn by 2020

New report from the Resolution Foundation finds that increasing the national funding settlement for social care is the most viable option to meet this cost.

TUC says that opposition to Trade Union Bill will continue in House of Lords

Following yesterday's third reading in House of Commons, TUC General Secretary says that 'the campaign against the Bill is far from over'

Scottish Government to introduce legislative consent memorandum on Trade Union Bill

Speaking in a Scottish Parliamentary debate on the Bill yesterday, the Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training said that the memorandum would give the Scottish Parliament the chance to consider whether it would give consent to the application of the Bill’s provisions in Scotland.

Trade Union Bill 2015/2016 receives third reading in House of Commons

Following the defeat of opposition amendments to the Bill, MPs voted yesterday in favour of third reading by 305 to 271.

Number of workers spending more than two hours commuting up by 72% in last decade

New TUC analysis also shows that the number of commuters travelling for three or more hours a day has risen by 75%

Employment case law round up

Care England writes to Chancellor about unintended consequences of living wage on the care sector

Chief Executive Professor Martin Green writes, 'Your recent announcement of wage increases came on top of auto-enrolment and increases in regulatory fees, all of which have put enormous burdens on the care sector. If we are not properly funded we will see a reduction in care providers and this will have a significant impact on the NHS, and the money that you have promised them, will not be adequate to meet the demand.'

TUC calls for new minimum wage to be extended to all workers aged 21 and over

General Secretary of the TUC Frances O'Grady says, 'It is wrong to leave 21 to 24 year olds out: they face the same expenses as other adults and are highly productive. Not paying them the full minimum wage will demotivate younger adults, who will get less pay than their colleagues for the same work.'

Living Wage increases to £8.24 per hour

Announcing the increase today, the Living Wage Foundation says that it will benefit approximately 68,000 staff who are employees of the accredited businesses that commit to paying all their staffat least the Living Wage.

Employment case law round up

United Nations committee reviewing UK unemployment policies and the minimum wage

Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights asks for further information on access to employment and minimum wage.

£500,000 to help prepare young people for work in Scotland

Education Scotland will receive £500,000 to support the delivery of new standards for careers and work placements and the development of the senior phase curriculum.

48 per cent of applications for remission on employment tribunal issue fees are successful

Written answer in the House of Lords shows that this is an increase from 32 per cent in the previous year.

Scottish government providing £163,400 to support young disabled people towards jobs

The Scottish Chambers of Commerce will work with employers to identify the barriers that young disabled and other vulnerable people face when entering the jobs market, and then work with other stakeholders to help break them down.

Central government should make funds available to care home providers to meet cost of living wage

New research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation finds that the government could use additional funds it will receive from increases in tax and national insurance receipts and reduction to in-work benefits payments.

Line managers need better understanding of flexible work entitlements, says Citizens Advice

New report finds that while some employers have guidelines and procedures in place to support staff on non-traditional contracts, such as zero hour or fixed-hours plus, the benefit of these doesn’t always filter down to frontline workers.