Employment

Large companies to be forced to report on gender pay gaps from next year

Prime Minister announces that every company with more than 250 employees will have to publish the difference between the average pay of their male and female employees.

Unite passes motion removing requirement for any strike action to be lawful

Politics Home reports on removal of 'so far as may be lawful' clause from union's rule book in response to government's forthcoming anti-strike legislation.

Living Wage will cost councils £1bn by 2020/2021, says Local Government Association

LGA supports introduction of Living Wage but says that its vital that extra cost of wages for council workers and care workers is considered by government in wider debate on council funding.

Employment case law round up

Introduction of new full employment and apprenticeships reporting obligations

Clauses 1 and 2 of new Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015/2016 provide for Secretary of State to have to lay a report before Parliament annually on the progress which has been made towards full employment and, no later than nine months after the end of each reporting period, information about the progress made towards the apprenticeships target.

New National Living Wage of £7.20 per hour to be introduced from April 2016

New rate - which will be paid to workers aged 25 and over - is a rise of 50p over the National Minimum Wage rate due to come into effect in October 2015 and is set to rise to £9 per hour by 2020 (paragraph 1.121).

Patterson v Castlereagh Borough Council

[2015] NICA 47

Bill limiting application of EU Working Time Directive introduced to House of Commons

Private Member's Bill, which received first reading yesterday, due to have second reading on 22 January 2016.

Fees still deterring people from going to employment tribunals, warns TUC

Responding to Acas report on Early Conciliation, union highlights that at least one in four claimants whose cases are not settled by conciliation are being put off from further action by the costs.

First year of Early Conciliation is a success, says Acas

New figures show that Acas has dealt with over 83,000 cases between April 2014 and March 2015; three out of four employees and employers agreed to try Early Conciliation in its first year of operation; and eight out of ten people who took part were satisfied with the service they received.

Employment case law round up

Government launches independent review of self-employment in the UK

Review, which is expected to be published in early 2016, will report to the government on the challenges and opportunities for those who want to work for themselves.

Acas launches guide for small firms on how to handle staff pay

New guide covers issues on pay, what to do during staff absences, wage deductions and overpayments and breaks down the most common employment issues into a series of steps to be used by a manager or supervisor.

Employment case law round up

DWP publishes evaluation of 2010-2013 Fit for Work Service pilots

Pilots, which aim to offer support for people in the early stage of sickness absence, were generally more effective for people with musculoskeletal conditions than for those with mental health conditions.

Understanding why ESA claimants move straight from work to ESA without a period of sickness absence

New research carried out on behalf of the DWP finds that 19 per cent of ESA claimants that were surveyed - those that had worked in the 12 months prior to claim - moved straight from work to claiming ESA without any period of sickness absence; and that those most at risk of leaving work without a period of sickness absence were more likely to be on a casual or agency contract, new to their job, or part-time workers.

Government publishes report on increase in apprentice rate of national minimum wage to £3.30

Today's report sets out the evidence and impact of the government’s decision depart from the Low Pay Commission's recommendation to increase the apprentice rate by 7p from £2.73 to £2.80, in favour of increasing the rate by 57 pence to £3.30.