xPRESS Digest

Small businesses put themselves at risk by flouting age discrimination changes

Six months on and only 17% of businesses have adopted recruitment and employment changes. Small businesses are risking employment disputes as they fail to make changes to their employment policies following age discrimination legislation introduced in October 2006. The findings come from new research by Acas, Britain's leading employment relations organisation. The survey, which polled 750 small businesses, reveals that only 17% of them have introduced changes to their employment and recruitment practices. Respondents said that they had not made changes because they believe their organisations already comply or that the regulations do not apply to their business.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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13 April 2007
© ACAS

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Migrant workers in the East Midlands labour market

This research, commissioned by the East Midlands Development Agency (emda), was carried out by the Institute for Employment Research (IER) at the University of Warwick. According to the findings, migrants make a 'very significant' contribution to the East Midlands economy - at 9.6% of regional Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2005.  They also make up almost 8% of the region's working age population (approx 195,000 people) compared to 11% nationally. The report states that 'the migrant contribution to GVA is higher than average in a number of sectors, including hotels and restaurants, health and social work and manufacturing'.

Country/Regional Focus: England, East Midlands

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11 April 2007
© Intelligence East Midlands

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New booklet on flexible working

Acas, Britain's leading employment relations service, has published a new booklet - Flexible working and work-life balance - to help employers and employees understand how flexible working can benefit their workplace. There are around 1.6 million employees providing some kind of unpaid care. From tomorrow, 6 April, there is a new right to request flexible working for those who have caring responsibilities. The new booklet, which can be viewed for free at www.acas.org.uk, guides employers and employees through a range of issues on flexible working and includes: a guide to all the major kinds of flexible working, from flexitime to shift-working, and part-time working to homeworking; a step by step guide to developing a flexible working policy;  the latest legal changes brought in by the Work and Families Act; a useful q & a section to address common concerns about flexible working.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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05 April 2007
© ACAS

Don't make workers wait too long for extra holiday, says TUC

Several million of the UK's hard-working employees should soon be enjoying more leisure time with their family and friends thanks to Government plans to increase the legal minimum holiday entitlement for all UK workers, says the TUC today. But in its submission to a Government consultation on increasing the UK's minimum annual leave entitlement, the TUC is urging ministers not to bow to the business lobby and make employees wait until next autumn before they can get the extra time off work. Under existing law, it is will be perfectly legal for employees unfortunate enough to work for mean employers to be forced to take this Good Friday and Easter Monday from their four weeks' statutory minimum leave entitlement. This means that when this weekend's two bank holidays and this year's other six are taken into account, some full time employees could be left with just 12 days holiday, and some part-time staff could find themselves using up almost all their annual leave just on public holidays, says the TUC. The Government's proposals will prevent employers from doing this, by granting employees a minimum of 5.6 weeks leave a year - 28 days for a full-time worker. In its submission, the TUC says that ministers should ignore the cries from some employers that bringing in the extra leave all in one go will be unaffordable. The TUC argues that UK workers should not have to wait another 18 months before getting the extra holiday as the economy is performing well enough to absorb the full change from this October.
Country/Regional Focus: UK
Themes: work, employment. legal

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04 April 2007
© TUC

Networking the key to innovation success

A scheme to encourage innovation in small and medium sized companies in the West Midlands which has created more than 400 jobs since 2002 has been extended for a further 12 months. The Innovation Network programme is funded by Advantage West Midlands and the European Regional Development Fund and managed by Coventry University Enterprises. Since it was launched in 2002, Innovation Networks has supported 500 companies, creating 429 jobs and safeguarding a further 860 jobs. The programme provides grants of up to £15,000 to groups of at least three companies who are collaborating on the development of an innovative product, process or service. Revenue grants are available for expenditure and staff costs on projects where budgets are more than £26,000 or capital grants are available for equipment, machinery or tooling.

Country/Regional Focus: England

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29 March 2007
© Advantage West Midlands

Acas finds name calling, threats and bullying in discrimination cases for sexual orientation and religion or belief

Today, 2 April 2007, Acas presented their research results on the impact of the Sexual Orientation Regulations and the Religion or Belief Regulations 2003. Since both sets of the regulations came into force, findings show that workplace discrimination allegations regarding sexual orientation were dominated by claims of bullying and harassment including name calling, threats and physical assaults. Equally, religion and belief in employment tribunal claims included many instances of bullying or harassment as well. But another key theme were claims stemming from difficulties over working hours, time off or leave to follow religious practices, promotion or retirement and workplace dress codes.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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02 April 2007
© ACAS

Local knowledge is key to getting long-term unemployed back into work - LGA

Commenting on today's announcement of 15 Cities Strategy pathfinders, Cllr David Sparks, Chair of the LGA's Regeneration and Transport Board said: 'The government has recognised that working with councils is the best way forward in helping the hardest-to-reach groups back into work. The pathfinders bring together those who know the local job market best - councils, local employers, training bodies and jobcentres - to tackle persistent unemployment and help break up localised pockets of deprivation. In our report Prosperous Communities: vive la devolution! the LGA argued that a million jobs could be created if Whitehall loosened its grip on councils, allowing labour market policies to be decided at the local level. The Cities Strategies pilot represents a first step and the LGA and the pilot authorities have lobbied hard for the funding and supporting measures announced by the government. Councils are committed to helping people fulfil their full potential. What we now want is rapid further progress on giving local authorities and their partners across the country more powers to help people from welfare to work.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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03 April 2007
© Local Government Association

TUC welcomes improved maternity rights and new flexible working for carers

The TUC today (Friday) welcomed the Government's improved maternity rights and the new right for many carers to request flexible working which comes into force this week. Mothers of babies due on or after this Sunday (1 April) will now be entitled to 52 weeks maternity leave, regardless of how long they have worked for their employer, and 39 weeks of maternity pay. Similar arrangements are now available to adoptive parents. Until now most expectant women and new adoptive parents have been entitled to 26 weeks paid leave. The TUC also welcomed the decision to give many carers the right to request flexible working from next Friday (6 April), but called on the Government to open this up to all workers, in recognition of the positive impact that flexible working can have on individuals, on families and on society overall.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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29 March 2007
© TUC

Eco-Homes development brings hope to Derbyshire youngsters

Unemployed local youngsters are being given a real opportunity to find long-term employment through an innovative, environmentally friendly housing refurbishment scheme in Shirebrook, Derbyshire. This innovative scheme, which will transform five formerly run down and unoccupied houses into attractive, eco-friendly homes, is being led by Meden Valley Making Places (MVMP), the agency charged with the regeneration of former pit communities in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. Each of the three-storey homes in Church Drive, originally built in the early 1900s,  is being fitted with solar panels for water heating, photo voltaic panels for electricity, rain water harvesting equipment for water supply to toilets, and dry lining insulation to ensure maximum heat retention.

Country/Regional Focus: England

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5th March 2007
© MVMP

Funding for Fresh Talent

A further £390,000 is being invested in projects to support and encourage more international graduates to live and work in Scotland, it was announced today. Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform Tom McCabe has allocated the money to a number of ongoing schemes which aim to attract fresh talent by encouraging international students to stay on in Scotland. Funding is being made available from the Fresh Talent budget to support the following programmes in the 2007-08 academic year: The Fresh Talent: Supporting International Students Challenge Fund (£300,000) - this fund helps universities and colleges to support activities for international students during and towards the end of their studies in Scotland. Dare to be Digital (£50,000) supports a 10 week summer competition run by University of Abertay Dundee for high-flying students who work together in international teams to develop marketable products in computer science or computer arts. Encouraging Dynamic Global Entrepreneurs (£40,000) - a cultural programme which brings together schools pupils and students from Scotland, USA, Canada and Poland to encourage entrepreneurship.

Country/Regional Focus: Scotland

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23 March 2007
© Scottish Executive

Acas welcomes the review of conflict resolution

Following a wide-ranging independent review by Michael Gibbons on improving the way employment disputes are resolved, Acas is pleased that the review is moving forward. Rita Donaghy, Acas Chair said: 'We are encouraged that the issues surrounding dispute resolution are being taken seriously and new approaches are being considered. Dispute resolution is an issue that potentially affects every workplace and costs the UK economy heavily if it is not tackled at an early stage. The key is to prevent disputes happening in the first place through good employment relations. Where this is not possible, the system must allow for a quick, effective resolution that is fair to all parties.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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22 March 2007
© ACAS

Barriers to employment

Removing barriers to employment provides the best route out of poverty and disadvantage, the Employability for Scotland Conference in Glasgow was told today. Deputy Enterprise Minister Allan Wilson growing and developing Scotland's workforce was essential for the country's continued economic success. He said: 'If we are to compete on a global stage, our young people must have the skills and attributes needed by society and our economy. But we must pay greater attention to those who face barriers to employment, those who are hardest to reach. We have high levels of employment - the highest rates in a generation and higher than the UK as a whole. Our education system is recognised as being one of the best in the world. But we recognise that we have a particular challenge in Scotland with young people not in education, employment or training - the NEET group.'

Country/Regional Focus: Scotland

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20 March 2007
© Scottish Executive

Give work a go without losing your benefit - Murphy announces

New rules announced by the Government today will mean that more people will be able to try out work as part of the new Employment Support Allowance (ESA) without losing their benefit entitlement. Under the permitted work rules, ESA customers on the income-related element, as well as those on the contributory element, of the benefit will be able to earn up to £86 per week for a year which it is hoped will help their transfer off benefits and into work. The Employment and Support Allowance - a new integrated contributory and income-related allowance - will replace incapacity benefit (IB) and income support paid on grounds of incapacity or disability for new claimants from 2008.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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20 March 2007
© Department for Work And Pensions (National)

Dream Job Competition launched

People across the country are being encouraged to think back to what they wanted to be when they grew up, and UK online centres are being asked to help them get online to join in… The national 'Dream Job' competition kicks off this week, run by the Campaign for Learning. Entry will be online only, and people without internet access or the skills to use it are being directed to their nearest UK online centre. The competition will help to promote Learning at Work Day on Thursday 24 May, and people will log onto the Learning at Work day website - www.learningatworkday.com - to work their way through a list of questions. Three winners will be selected in a prize draw to win a day job shadowing someone in their childhood 'dream career'. Louise Dennis at the Campaign for Learning explains: "The idea of the Dream Job Competition is to get people thinking about their past, current and future career paths and taking a fresh look at how qualifications and training support might help them achieve their adult dreams.

Country/Regional Focus: England

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19 March 2007
© Help is at Hand

Age positive employer of the year award - open for nominations now

Duncan Bannatyne from TV's Dragons' Den is calling for employers to enter the 'Age Positive Employer of the Year' category in the Greater Manchester Employer Coalition Awards 2007. Age Positive is the Department for Work and Pensions initiative to end age discrimination in employment. Duncan comments: 'Every day employers are making disastrous recruitment and management decisions on the basis of outdated stereotypes. In my career I've seen successful entrepreneurs and business figures, both young and old, defying ageist stereotypes. The business community needs to wake up to the reality of today's society - make age diversity part of your business! The Awards are a showcase for businesses and individuals that are leading the way in breaking down barriers to work and investing in their most valuable asset, their workforce. Age Positive is inviting applications from employers throughout Greater Manchester, including human resource professionals, strategic public sector partners, and providers of employment and skills services. The Age Positive Award is open to businesses of all sizes that are positive about age and challenge ageist attitudes. Does your business disregard ageist stereotypes and recruit and develop people of all ages? Do you value know-how and experience and continue to employ people beyond the usual retirement age? If so, it's time to nominate and enter the awards. The winning employer will demonstrate an outstanding commitment to challenging ageism in the workplace, for example through their recruitment, training or retention processes.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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14 March 2007
© Department for Work And Pensions (North West)

Work smarter is advice for saving the planet

Work Wise UK has offered an immediate answer to some of the problems of the environmental impact of human activity on the globe: the world needs to reform the way it works. This advice comes as the main political parties highlight their environmental credentials in the race to lead the green political agenda. According to Work Wise UK, the widespread introduction of smarter working practices will significantly reduce the need for travel, both commuting and travel for business, making a huge impact to the levels of CO2 emissions from transport sources. Enabling more home working, more flexible working, better remote and mobile working, all have the impact of reducing the need to travel, and staggering the required travel patterns, which will also reduce peak time congestion, in itself a major contributor to pollution levels. To highlight the benefits of smarter working, Work Wise UK has organised Work Wise Week,  which this year will run from Wednesday May 16 to Tuesday May 22, and will include National Work from Home Day on Friday May 18. The week will start with a summit involving ministers and business leaders at the QEII Conference Centre in London. The following days of the week will include separate focuses upon the impacts of smarter working on the environment, on transport, on staff welfare, and on the employer through higher productivity. There will also be number of regional events around the country following the same themes.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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13 March 2007
© Work Wise UK

National Minimum Wage rises for a million workers

Independent Low Pay Commission recommend new rate of £5.52 an hour. More than a million workers, two thirds of them low paid women will benefit from a rise in the National Minimum Wage from £5.35 to £5.52 an hour from October, Alistair Darling Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced today. He has accepted the level recommended by the independent Low Pay Commission which will also mean increases from £4.45 to £4.60 for 18-21 year olds, and from £3.30 to £3.40 for 16-17 year olds. Today's announcement means the minimum wage has gone up by almost 30% more than inflation since it was introduced in 1999, with the number of jobs increasing by almost 2m in the same time. Since October last year the minimum wage for adults, combined with Working Tax credits and other benefits, has guaranteed an income of at least £268 a week for families with one child and one full-time worker.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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08 March 2007
© Department of Trade and Industry (National)

Low Pay Commission's 2007 report and recommendations to Government

The Low Pay Commission today welcomed the Government's confirmation that from October 2007 the adult minimum wage rate will rise to £5.52, that the Youth Development Rate will rise to £4.60 and that the minimum wage for 16-17 year olds will be increased to £3.40. The Chairman of the Low Pay Commission, Paul Myners said: 'Following our recommendations I am delighted that the Government has confirmed that these increases will go ahead. 'Whilst preparing this report, our analysis of the evidence showed that recent upratings of the minimum wage have continued to benefit many low-paid workers and helped to narrow the gender pay gap. The bite of the minimum wage has clearly increased and this year the economic indicators and labour market data presented a rather more mixed picture than in previous years. There has been a small fall in the number of jobs in the low-paying sectors, for the first time since the introduction of the minimum wage. Given these and other factors, we concluded that a cautious approach to our recommended minimum wage upratings was advisable. Nevertheless, our recommendations represent an increase for the lowest paid workers of 3.2 per cent. Taken together with last October's uprating, this amounts to an increase of 9.3 per cent over two years.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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08 March 2007
© Low Pay Commission (National)

Tsar announces £1m in new research funding for Mental Health

The Government's National Director for Mental Health today announced an estimated £1million in grants for new research that will help support the implementation of the Mental Health Bill that is currently going through Parliament. Professor Louis Appleby gave details of Department of Health Programme Grants that have been awarded through the National Institute for Health Research to two academic research projects. The first programme will examine a major component of the Mental Health Bill - the community treatment order (Supervised Community Treatment or SCT). The Government wants to introduce SCT to allow more patients to live safely, under supervision, in the community instead of in hospital. SCT will help more patients to rebuild their lives in the community and help to reduce the risk that a minority of patients pose to themselves and the public. A grant of at least £500, 000 will fund a two-and-a-half year study by Oxford University in partnership with Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. The research team will examine how SCT works in practice, collecting evidence on which patients receive SCT and what the benefits are.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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08 March 2007
© Department of Health (National)

Government unites to block benefits of Britain to Illegal Immigrants

Blocking the benefits of Britain to those in the UK illegally is at the heart of a new cross-Government enforcement strategy published by the Home Office today. The strategy is focused on fairness and enforcing the rules. It will allow the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) to progressively deny work, benefits and services to those here illegally by working in partnership with tax authorities, benefits agencies, Government Departments, local authorities, police and the private sector. Measures include: the creation of immigration crime partnerships between IND, local authorities, police, HM Revenue and Customs and local agencies to detect those here illegally and block benefits; regional partnerships with workplace enforcement teams from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Department of Trade and Industry, to track down and punish unscrupulous bosses who exploit the system.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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07 March 2007
© Home Office (National)

Radical review of welfare could help thousands more into work

A radical review of the welfare system carried out by David Freud is welcomed today by Prime Minister Tony Blair, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions John Hutton. The recommendations in David Freud's report, Reducing Dependency, Increasing Opportunity: options for the future of welfare to work include: Greater use of private and voluntary sector resources and expertise so harder-to-help benefit claimants receive more employment support - particularly existing customers who have been trapped on benefit for long periods of time; A new focus on long term mentoring to tackle the problem of repeat benefit claimants - helping keep customers in work and encouraging them to progress to higher paid jobs rather than returning to benefit dependency; Greater rewards for organisations that are successful in helping claimants find and stay in work, with higher payments based on sustaining customers in employment for as long as three years. This could be financed by savings to the taxpayer from having the customer in work rather than claiming benefit; Greater personalisation of employment support, with higher financial incentives for organisations to target resources at the hardest-to-help who need more support before they are ready to return to work; Retaining Jobcentre Plus's role in helping customers during the early stages of their period on benefit and creating a new role for the organisation to assess how much support individual claimants are likely to need before they are ready to return to work; Rebalancing rights and responsibilities in the welfare system - matching increased support with greater obligations on claimants to look for work. In particular placing greater responsibilities on lone parents with older children to look for work once their youngest child reaches 12, rather than the current age of 16; and simplification of the benefits system.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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05 March 2007
© Department for Work And Pensions (National)

What is 'Good Work'? Government Seeks Clarity

Today DWP Minister Lord McKenzie called on the expertise of businesses, government and charities to discuss and agree what constitutes 'good work'. Evidence shows that work is beneficial to physical and mental health, and leads to greater social and financial inclusion. But it must be 'good work', for which there is no widely accepted understanding or definition, despite considerable presumed knowledge. Lord McKenzie this morning opened the first in a series of events which will inform and develop a framework for employers to ensure their workplaces are healthy and efficient. This will enable employees to benefit from improved health and well-being, and help businesses to reduce the millions of working days lost due to injury and ill health. The ageing workforce and increasingly competitive economy reinforces this need for healthy and productive workplaces. Lord McKenzie said: 'We know that good work is beneficial for individuals, communities, and the economy. But we need to figure out exactly what 'good work' is, so that we can ensure workplaces are happy, healthy and productive. This may necessitate a radical rethink, including addressing outdated work practices, increasing flexible working, cutting red tape, and promoting effective and open work cultures. Positive changes will reduce the number of days lost to ill health and injury, and allow people to remain in and return to work quicker. A collective effort is essential to achieve this - Government must work alongside businesses, charities and healthcare professionals.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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23 February 2007
© Department for Work And Pensions (National)

Survey launched into remote working

People throughout Devon are being urged to take part in an online survey about remote working away from town and city centre offices. The survey is being funded by Devon Renaissance, the rural regeneration partnership organisation for the county, and is being carried out by Broadband Access Strategies. The aim of the survey is to find out what demand there is for flexible managed workspace in rural areas, to identify potential locations for such places, and to estimate the cost of setting up and running them to make sure they are economically sustainable. There are two surveys accessible from the website, one for employees to gauge whether people would like to reduce the cost and time involved in commuting to and from work, and one for businesses which might have started out as working from home but which now need dedicated office space to expand. Devon Renaissance is funding the £42,000 project and the organisation's Simon Mallett said: "Flexible managed workspace could address a number of important issues, including reducing travelling between home and office, saving both time and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and the increasing problem of congestion. If we find that people want to travel less and that there is a demand for such facilities, flexible managed workspace could be a sustainable solution." Ken Singleton of Broadband Access Strategies of Buckfastleigh said: "We want people from all over Devon to go onto our website at www.devonflexwork.co.uk and fill in one of the surveys. There is also a blog on the website in which people can take part in discussions about flexible and remote working.
Country/Regional Focus: England
Themes: ICT, research, employment

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26 February 2007
©Connectingsw.net

Seven-year jobs and business boost for North Tyneside

A seven-year programme which has created or safeguarded 2,598 jobs, helped get 570 businesses up and running and trained many thousands of North Tyneside residents, is celebrated this week. The North Tyneside @ Work programme was set up in 1999 when the borough was experiencing job losses. It focused on North Tyneside's labour market, aiming to create and safeguard employment opportunities and ensure that local people could take advantage of these in order to reduce joblessness and tackle social inclusion. Since then it has drawn in £12.7m worth of Single Regeneration Budget funding from One NorthEast, alongside £32.9m public and £10.4m private sector funding. 'This has been a superbly successful programme which has had a real impact on local people's lives,' says North Tyneside's Elected Mayor John Harrison. 'The innovative approach of the North Tyneside @ Work partnership which has run this programme has made a significant contribution to the creation of a prosperous learning and entrepreneurial borough.'

Country/Regional Focus: England

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26 February 2007
© North Tyneside Council

Work Your Proper Hours Day

Work Your Proper Hours Day (23 Feb 2007) is the day when the average person who does unpaid overtime finishes the unpaid days they do every year, and starts earning for themselves. We think that's a day worth celebrating. Over five million people at work in the UK regularly do unpaid overtime, giving their employers £23 billion of free work every year. If you're one, why not take some time to reflect on how well (or badly) you're balancing your life? This is one day in the year to make the most of your own time. Take a proper lunchbreak and leave work on time to enjoy your Friday evening - You deserve it!

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23 February 2007
© Worksmart

It pays to be an Apprentice

Young people taking part in Government funded apprenticeships will enjoy significantly higher wages over their life time than they would have done without their training, research reveals today. The value of an apprenticeship is estimated to be significantly above that of other vocational qualifications, according to a study commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills. For the first time researchers looked at the contribution the apprenticeship programme is making to the economy. Cost benefit analysis suggests a large value being put on apprenticeships in the UK. Wage returns to apprenticeships have increased over the last ten years, and good returns for women at level 3 (vocational; equivalent to A level standard), are seen for the first time. Skills Minister Phil Hope said: 'This report shows the real value for young people of undertaking an apprenticeship.It confirms that it pays to be an apprentice. Many people think that apprenticeships are a thing of the past. In fact nothing could be further from the truth. The programme is going from strength to strength, and the status and quality of the programme is rising all the time. We want more employers to offer new schemes. We have accepted Lord Leitch's recommendation to have 400,000 apprentices in learning in England by 2020. Today's evidence shows the Government is right to invest almost £1bn per year in this programme. I am particularly pleased that women are shown to enjoy positive returns taking part in Government funded apprenticeships.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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22 February 2007
© Department for Education And Skills (National)

Helpline for Muslim women seeks workers in Highlands

A helpline for Muslim women is currently seeking sessional development workers in the Highlands. The Muslim Women's Helpline is part of Amina - the Muslim Women's Resource Centre. It is a confidential information, advice and listening support for Muslim women. The helpline is available Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5pm on the freephone number 0808 801 0301. The service offers help on a range of concerns including family matters, marriage, domestic abuse and leisure acitivities suitable for Muslim women. Immediately required for the Highland area are sessional development workers. The role will include raising awareness, publicising the helpline and doing outreach work. Spoken fluency in English must be demonstrated and it is desirable, but not essential, to converse in one of the following languages: Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Punjabi.

Country/Regional Focus: Scotland

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08 February 2007
© Rural Community Gateway

Million pound boost to low paid workers

Low-paid workers can celebrate thanks to a landmark minimum wage ruling handed down by the Court of Appeal on Friday. The decision means thousands of Butlins' and Haven Holidays' staff will share up to £1million in pay arrears.  HM Revenue & Customs took enforcement action against Leisure Employment Services, which owns Butlins and Haven Holidays, over deductions taken from employees' wages to cover utility bills. The deduction of £6 per fortnight from staff living onsite meant pay fell below the national minimum wage. The case began at Employment Tribunal in 2005.  Denise Gaston, National Minimum Wage Business Manager at HM Revenue & Customs, said:  "This ruling is good news for all workers living in accommodation provided by their employer. It reinforces the fact that deductions for things like heating and lighting must not take workers' pay below their legal entitlement.  "Where we suspect employers are paying less than the minimum wage we investigate and where necessary pursue cases to Tribunal."

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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19 February 2007
© HM Revenue & Customs (National)

EU reform strategy delivering jobs

Unemployment is down and employment on the rise according to the Joint Employment Report, to be adopted by employment ministers on 22 February. The Commission report - which assesses Member States' implementation of their national reform programmes in the area of employment - is upbeat. However, it underlines the need for more rigorous reforms, in particular to better balance flexibility with security in the job market - the flexicurity approach. The Commission has also put forward specific national recommendations to most Member States. Alongside today's report, the Employment and Social Affairs Council on 22 February is also expected to endorse country-specific recommendations on economic and employment policies. This is the first time ministers will adopt such integrated national recommendations. It represents an important step in delivering the EU's jobs and growth objectives as Member States will commit to address these recommendations. Crucially, the Commission is proposing measures on employment for most Member States, underlining that they need to push forward with reforms in the job market.

Country/Regional Focus: EU

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20 February 2007
© European Commission

Stopping the brain-drain: £1 million boost for global health workers

Ending the shortage of doctors and nurses in the world's poorest countries got a double boost today as Hilary Benn and Patricia Hewitt, Secretaries of State for International Development and Health, welcomed the publication of Lord Crisp's review of how the UK can help health services in developing countries and announced £1 million for the Global Health Workforce Alliance (GHWA). Lord Crisp's review, commissioned by the Prime Minister, sets out 16 key recommendations on how the UK can contribute to health services in poor countries including: increasing the quality of health worker training in poor countries, and helping countries retain their health workers; responding more effectively to humanitarian disasters; and enhancing partnerships between UK institutions and developing countries, to allow sharing of best practice. The UK is committing £1 million over two years to help the GHWA tackle the urgent need to find solutions to the lack of health workers in poor countries across the world. The Alliance is an international partnership set up in May 2006 to raise awareness, bring together and maximise current efforts of governments, donors and agencies to tackle the staff shortages. It has already started work in 8 countries, including 5 in the most severely affected region of sub-Saharan Africa, helping to train and support a new generation of local leaders who will develop and put in place health work force plans for their countries.

Country/Regional Focus: Global

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13 February 2007
© Department of Health (National)

Fee freeze as Criminal Records Bureau achieves self-funding status

Fees for criminal records checks have been frozen at last year's levels as the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), achieves self-funding status for the first time. The fee freeze comes after year-on-year efficiency savings and service improvements over the last 12 months including: the launch of their online tracking tool, allowing customers to follow the progress of their CRB check from application to delivery online; a streamlined point of sale procedure for both telephone and paper applications in response to customer feedback; the streamlining of the registered body network; new service level agreements with the police forces; and access to improved data sources, including the British Transport Police, increasing the amount of information given to customers in a CRB check. Home Office Minister Joan Ryan said: 'It has always been the aim of the CRB to become self-funding and I am delighted that it has been able to do this at the same time as handling increased demand and achieving record levels of customer satisfaction. The CRB plays a vital role helping to protect the most vulnerable in our society giving employers the extra tools they need to make informed recruitment decisions.' The disclosure fees for 2007/2008 will remain at: Standard CRB check £31.00, Enhanced CRB check £36.00, POVAFirst check £6.00, Volunteers Free.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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05 February 2007
© Home Office

New Government campaign to boost financial security of people on low incomes

A Government campaign to help people living on low incomes find out about how they can get bank accounts and low cost loans, and advice on how to manage their money better, is launched today. People without access to affordable credit often have to borrow from very high cost lenders, including loan sharks, and can face a lifetime of debt and poverty. Without a bank account they can find it hard to get a job, and are vulnerable to loss or theft. Those who rely on cash are unable to make savings using direct debits on utility bills. The launch of the Government's 'now let's talk money' multi-media campaign, part of the Government's on-going work to tackle financial exclusion, will help people in this situation to find a way out. Department for Work and Pensions Minister James Plaskitt, who is launching the campaign today, said 'By working closely with our partners in housing associations, charities and financial institutions on this campaign we can encourage more people to get free financial advice, and show them how getting a bank account and access to affordable credit can help them begin to leave their money worries behind.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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31 January 2007
© Department for Work And Pensions

Skills deficit risks polarizing Britain, warns Demos

Britain’s adult learning system risks widening the gap between the skilled and unskilled over the next decade, claims Demos today. Due to a damaging paradox - with those with the lowest skill levels also the least likely to benefit from education and training – the Governments efforts to raise skills levels run the risk of having limited impact. Prompted by evidence that people lacking qualifications are three times less likely to take part in training than those with high skills, the think tank today launches a major research programme aimed at revitalising the skills sector. The claim comes in Confronting the Skills Paradox: Maximising human potential in a 21st Century Economy, a paper published today to launch the research. The research will be led by Demos researcher Duncan O’Leary. He said: 'The Leitch Review highlighted the importance of improving Britain’s skills base over the next decade. Political commitment will be vital in achieving this goal, but more than this we need policies to address the fundamental problem that if at first you don’t succeed, you don't succeed'.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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31 January 2007
© Demos

Industry shows commitment to enabling women to succeed

Minister for Women, Ruth Kelly, launched a new drive today to step up efforts to reduce the gender pay gap and promote better work-life balance throughout the workplace. She announced that more than 100 companies and organisations have signed up to a Exemplar Employer scheme since its launch in September. The Exemplar Employer scheme requires organisations to give a clear commitment to reducing the gender pay gap through projects ranging from encouraging women to find out and enter into jobs traditionally done mostly by men, to supporting mothers to return to work, to creating better quality opportunities for staff working part-time. The first wave of organisations signed up range from high street names such as Asda to city companies such as Goldman Sachs to Parcelforce to construction firms.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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30 January 2007
© Communities and Local Government

New Limits for Unfair Dismissal and Redundancy Payments

The limits on payments and awards made to workers in employment rights cases will rise from 1st February under the annual index-linked formula. The increased limits affect: statutory redundancy payments; the basic and compensatory awards for unfair dismissal; the limit on guarantee payment made when employees are not provided with work; and, the minimum basic award for unfair dismissal in health and safety and certain other cases.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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26 January 2007
© Department of Trade and Industry (National)

Social Firms to Widen Definition

Social Firms UK has announced that it is altering the definition of a Social Firm to 'market-led businesses that are set up specifically to create employment for people disadvantaged in the labour market'. This moves away from the previous focus on creating employment opportunities for disabled people. Following the announcement, and in association with Social Firms Scotland and Social Firms Wales, they have released a positioning paper for Social Firms, 'In Business For Good - The Social Firm Solution To Employability', to aid the sector with its lobbying and policy work.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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17 January 2007
©Social FirmsUK

Millions to benefit from extra holiday

Commenting on the announcement today (Thursday) that workers in the UK are to see their minimum annual leave go up to 5.6 weeks, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Millions of hard-working employees across the UK have much to smile about today, and many of those who will get more time off work will be low paid women. It is a victory for union campaigning, which has long pushed for UK leave to be increased so that it is more in line with the holidays enjoyed by other workers in Europe. But it's disappointing that people will have to wait until next year before getting their full increase. The change to leave is affordable and could have been introduced in one go. The Government didn't need to opt for phasing in, as the cost of introducing this measure has been overstated. Some employers will moan at having to give their staff additional holiday, but smart bosses already give their employees more than the minimum entitlement, because it makes good business sense to do so.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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11 January 2007
© TUC

Fines for minimum wage non-payers

Employers who refuse to pay the minimum wage could face a £200 fine for every worker they had underpaid, Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling announced today.Employers already have to pay back arrears they owe to the worker and now those who refuse to pay up will be penalised.Alistair Darling said:"Workers have the right to a decent minimum wage and we are determined they get it. To those employers avoiding the minimum wage the message is don't pay it and you'll pay the fine. In the last year alone the government's enforcement teams across the UK helped over 25,000 workers get more than £3m back in unpaid wages. The vast majority of good employers need to know they are operating on a level playing field. These measures will help deliver that." In cases where workers complain they are not getting the minimum wage, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) investigate the employer. If the complaint is upheld and the employer will not pay then he is given a warning to repay the arrears within seven days. Those employers who do not pay within seven days risk a fine.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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09 January 2007
© DTI

New teleworking factsheet available

This factsheet gives introductory guidance. It: looks at the growth in teleworking, discusses the managerial challenges raised by teleworking, includes the CIPD viewpoint. For the purposes of its Labour Force Survey, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) defines teleworkers as 'people who work mainly in their own home or mainly in different places using home as a base, who use both a telephone and a computer to carry out their work at home'.1 Teleworkers are also variously described as mobile workers, remote workers or homeworkers. Between 1997 and 2005 there was a rise in the number of people classified by the ONS as teleworkers of more than 150%. At Spring 2005, there were just under 2.4 million teleworkers in the UK, roughly 8% of all people in employment. This is about double the proportion in 1997 (the first year for which comparable statistics are available). The CBI's annual Employment trends survey for 20062 finds that telework is one of the least used forms of flexible working arrangements (offered by only 14% of employers). The CBI survey also finds that teleworking was the only form of flexible working that did not increase in use between 2005 and 2006.
Country/Regional Focus: UK

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December 2006
© CIPD

Darling to improve dispute resolution for employees and business

DTI Secretary of State Alistair Darling today launched a root and branch review of Government support for resolving disputes in the workplace. Mr Darling announced to Parliament that he has asked Michael Gibbons to review the options for simplifying and improving all aspects of employment dispute resolution, to make the system work better for employers and employees. The review will involve business representatives, unions and other interested parties in considering the options for change. Mr Gibbons will build on evidence which the DTI has gathered over recent months about the effect of previous changes to the dispute resolution system. His review will look at all aspects of the system, including the current legal requirements, how employment tribunals work, and the scope for new initiatives to help resolve disputes at an earlier stage. Mr Gibbons has agreed to make recommendations for change to the Secretary of State in Spring 2007. The Secretary of State also announced today that Mr Gibbons will chair a new panel which will advise on other aspects of the wider employment law simplification review which the DTI is currently carrying out, and make suggestions about other areas for simplification. The other members of the panel will be announced shortly.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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07 December 2006
© Department of Trade and Industry (National)

Pre-Budget Report

The Government’s objective is to build a strong economy and a fair society, where there is opportunity and security for all. The Pre-Budget Report sets out how the Government is working to achieve this goal, building on a platform of stability and sustained growth to ensure that Britain can continue to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy. Key announcements in the Pre-Budget Report include: an updated economic forecast, which shows that the UK economy is continuing to grow and that the Government is meeting its strict fiscal rules for sound public finances over the economic cycle; from April 2009 every mother-to-be will be eligible for Child Benefit from week 29 of their pregnancy; improving enforcement of the National Minimum Wage by increasing by 50 per cent the resources allocated to tackle non-compliance; a commitment for capital investment in education to rise from £8.3 billion in 2007-08 to £10.2 billion in 2010-11; a new ambition of world-class skills, following the publication of the Leitch Review of Skills; further measures to boost productivity and growth, to promote scientific research and reform planning and transport infrastructure; measures to promote fairness in the tax system, including action to tackle tax avoidance; a new ambition of at least 3 per cent savings per year across central and local government for the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review period, releasing resources to meet the challenges ahead; further steps to tackle climate change, including an increase in air passenger duty with effect from 1 February 2007 and measures to promote the use of cleaner fuels; and an increase in the main road fuel duties in line with inflation.
Country/Regional Focus: UK

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06 December 2006
© HM Treasury

Community Radio Sector: Looking to the Future report

Community groups have been quick to pick up on the opportunities presented by the new licensing arrangements for community radio stations, which represent a third tier of radio  in the UK. One hundred and seven licensed community radio stations now exist and more are expected to be announced over the course of the next few months.  Given the remarkable growth of this sector,  DCMS has undertaken research into the social and economic impacts  the sector has made to date.  The study looked at 13 stations across the regions and nations some of which target special interest groups.  It found that the stations have delivered important social gains across a range of issues, but particularly  in respect of volunteering, work placement and training opportunities.  Increasingly this means economic gain for individuals with employment  opportunities flowing through to the attainment of better standards of living  and life opportunities. The stations have also given local communities a voice thereby promoting active citizenship. The sector offers a huge potential for helping to deliver messages from the centre at the very local level.
Country/Regional Focus: UK

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25 November 2006
© DCMS

Lord Leitch publishes review of long term skills needs

Lord Leitch today published his final report, 'Prosperity for all in the Global Economy: World Class Skills', which examines the UK's long-term skills needs. It sets out ambitious goals for 2020 which, if achieved, would make the UK a world leader in skills. The report recommends and sets out a far-reaching reform agenda. Publishing the report, Lord Leitch said: 'In the 19th Century, the UK had the natural resources, the labour force and the inspiration to lead the world into the Industrial Revolution. Today, we are witnessing a different type of revolution. For developed countries that cannot compete on natural resources and low labour costs, success demands a more service-led economy and high value-added industry. In the 21st Century, our natural resource is our people - and their potential is both untapped and vast. Skills are the key to unlocking that potential. The prize for our country will be enormous - higher productivity, the creation of wealth and social justice. Without increased skills, we would condemn ourselves to a lingering decline in competitiveness, diminishing economic growth and a bleaker future for all. The case for action is compelling and urgent. Becoming a world leader on skills will enable the UK to compete with the best in the world. I am optimistic.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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05 December 2006
© HM Treasury (National)

Making ICT work for you

Business leaders from across the region will hear how nearly 90 per cent of employees can improve their productivity by working 'flexibly', at an event to be held in Exeter next week. Peter Thomson, a leading authority on flexible working, will be presenting the results of a pilot study and other surprising facts at a seminar taking place on Tuesday, December 5 2006 at Sandy Park Conference Centre. The event, organised by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA), will introduce those attending to the very latest thinking on working from home and on the move, and how using new technology to work flexibly can save money and protect the environment. Through a series of presentations and discussions, participants will discover more about the benefits of flexible working, how it can bring about a positive change in work culture, and how South West England can become a leader in the field.

Other speakers include Peter James, visiting professor of Environmental Management at the University of Bradford, and Alan Denbigh, co-author of The Teleworking Handbook. There will also be stalls displaying new technology that people will be able to try out. Broadly speaking, 'flexible' working covers any type of business activity which does not involve commuting or being in the office during the traditional 9-5 hours. As such, it can lead to greater satisfaction among staff, who are then able to organise their personal lives and family commitments more easily around work. This in turn can result in greater productivity and reduced carbon emissions as people travel less to their place of work.

Country/Regional Focus: England
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27 November 2006
© South West of England Regional Development Agency

Massive investment in new northern regeneration project

Massive investment in new northern regeneration project Massive investment in new northern regeneration project The University of Salford has announced a £17m project which will address some of the key urban regeneration challenges facing the north of England today - bringing benefits worth over £11m and drawing in over £6m additional regeneration over the next five years. 180 organisations involved in helping regenerate some of the most deprived areas in the north of England are expected to benefit from this unique collaboration between Salford, Manchester Metropolitan, Northumbria and Central Lancashire universities. Called 'Urban Regeneration: Making A Difference', the project is being co-ordinated by Northumbria University, with Salford using its existing expertise in enterprise to contribute to the regional economy by enhancing skills and employment and by sharing knowledge, expertise and facilities to create new businesses and initiatives.

Country/Regional Focus: England

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27 November 2006
© 24dash.com

Report shows Welsh coasts support over 92,000 jobs

Every year the coast and marine environment contributes £6.8 billion pounds to the economy of Wales. The richness and diversity of the coastal and marine environment of Wales also supports at least 92,600 jobs across the nation through tourism, fishing, transport & construction. These are the key findings of an important new study 'Valuing the Coastal and Marine Environment of Wales' which assesses the economic value of the coast and seas around Wales and show that they have a huge impact on the economy. The study will be launched today by Andrew Davies AM, the Minister for Enterprise, Innovation & Networks at the National Assembly, Crickhowell House.  Andrew Davies welcomed the report, saying 'The coastal and marine environment has always been recognised as an important asset for Wales but now, for the first time, we have established the true economic value and the significant contribution it makes. The report also shows there are real opportunities for growth but it is important to ensure that these do not have a negative impact on the quality of the environment'.

Themes: environment, development, economy, employment

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22 November 2006
© Welsh Assembly

Minister launches £110million Bluestone project in West Wales

Bluestone - a unique £110million green holiday village in the heart of West Wales will have a major economic impact on the region, creating 900 full time jobs, boosting local businesses and injecting £32m into the local economy annually. That was the message from Andrew Davies, Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks today (20 November 2006) when he and Bluestone Chief Executive William McNamara, officially launched the project and announced work would commence immediately. The project will receive £14.5million in grant aid from the Welsh Assembly Government and £4m investment from Finance Wales, alongside an initial £41million cash funding package from Mansford Holdings Plc and Bank of Scotland Corporate. Further funding is provided by equity investors William McNamara and Sir Edward Dashwood and Pembrokeshire County Council is providing a loan. Bluestone will be one of the county's biggest employers and is estimated to create a total of 900 full time jobs during construction and operation, comprising 600 direct jobs and 200 indirect jobs during the first phase, plus an additional 100 full time jobs in the second phase.
Country/Regional Focus: Wales
Themes: employment, funding, planning, tourism, economy

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20 November 2006
© Welsh Assembly Government

Wales fights deprivation and creates local jobs

Applicants for the posts will not need qualifications, but they will need to show a commitment to working for the benefit of their community and be able to follow a course at NVQ Level II standard. The pilot project, run by Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) in partnership with the Communities First Support Network, will help volunteers to become qualified, experienced and employed.  Project Coordinator Ferenc Bliszko said: 'There's been a need to develop our own community workers for some time.  The Skills for Regeneration project will do just this and promises to make a significant impact on the way we in Wales tackle community regeneration. 'It will make a difference in some of our most deprived areas.  This will be through offering apprenticeships in community work to local people who can already demonstrate a history of local community activism.' Recruitment of the apprentices begins shortly and the project will have its official launch in January 2007.  The scheme will be evaluated and if considered a success, will be used to try to attract mainstream funding for similar future programmes.

Themes: communities, employment, skills

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30 October 2006
© Wales Council for Voluntary Action

Coalition says local partnerships the way forward to cut re-offending

Rising re-offending rates can only be brought under control with the support of local councils and their partners warned the Coalition on Social and Criminal Justice today. The coalition's report, "Neighbourhood by neighbourhood: local action to reduce re-offending", says local organisations with local knowledge are best placed to work with the prison and probation services to help ex-offenders stay on the straight and narrow. Councils in particular have a key role to play, with their experience and expertise in critical areas such as housing, education, employment, drug and alcohol treatment and family support. Having a job can reduce the risk of re-offending by between a third and a half; stable accommodation can reduce re-offending by more than 20 per cent; and drug treatment programming both in custody and after release can have excellent success rates. Hazel Harding, Local Government Association spokesperson on Safer Communities, said:'People who live and work in local communities have a personal and collective stake in breaking the cycle of crime and re-offending. But public confidence in the system is low and rising re-offending rates mean this is likely to continue unless the government takes on board the coalition's recommendations.'
Country/Regional Focus: UK

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06 November 2006
© Local Government Association

Employers urged to tackle office bullies

Bullying is steadily increasing in UK workplaces, according to new figures released today (Tuesday) by the TUC to coincide with National Ban Bullying at Work Day. Fifteen per cent of the union safety reps questioned in the latest TUC bi-annual survey of union safety reps said bullying was a major problem in their workplace. Two years ago, 12 per cent of reps raised bullying as a big concern and in 2002 only ten per cent had done so. TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'Bullying is bad for business and for people. Bullies in the workplace must not go unchallenged and should not be given free rein to intimidate and victimise their colleagues. For individuals who are targeted by the office bully, the taunting and the jibes can severely damage their work and their home lives.'
Country/Regional Focus: UK

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07 November 2006
© Trades Union Congress

Minister says sustainability key for Scottish rural development

Support for Scotland's rural economy must have sustainability at its heart, Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie said today. Speaking at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands in Forres, Ross Finnie said:'I am committed to extending the priorities that we set out in Rural Scotland: A New Approach. That included offering a high quality of life to all and providing opportunities for our young people. We are currently taking stock of our successes and new opportunities: rural Scotland's population is growing and unemployment is low. Critically, I want to see a refreshed and reinvigorated approach which has at its heart the principle of sustainable development.' Choosing our Future sets out the Scottish Executive's sustainable development strategy: how we will achieve development that improves the well-being of Scotland's people, supports thriving communities, protects our natural heritage and resources, and makes Scotland's global contribution. Available here.
Country/Regional Focus: Scotland

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30 October 2006
© Scottish Executive

Wales fights deprivation and creates local jobs

An initiative aimed at tackling deprivation in Wales is set to make big strides early next year - while creating jobs for unemployed local people who volunteer. The Skills for Regeneration programme will initially employ 12 'apprentice' community development workers to cover six Communities First areas across the country, from Ynys Môn in the north to Ceredigion in the west and Rhondda in the south. Applicants for the posts will not need qualifications, but they will need to show a commitment to working for the benefit of their community and be able to follow a course at NVQ Level II standard. The pilot project, run by Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) in partnership with the Communities First Support Network, will help volunteers to become qualified, experienced and employed.

Project Coordinator Ferenc Bliszko said: 'There's been a need to develop our own community workers for some time.  The Skills for Regeneration project will do just this and promises to make a significant impact on the way we in Wales tackle community regeneration. It will make a difference in some of our most deprived areas.  This will be through offering apprenticeships in community work to local people who can already demonstrate a history of local community activism.' Recruitment of the apprentices begins shortly and the project will have its official launch in January 2007.  The scheme will be evaluated and if considered a success, will be used to try to attract mainstream funding for similar future programmmes.

Country/Regional Focus: Wales
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30 October 2006
© Wales Council for Voluntary Action

Stress still the biggest problem in UK workplaces

Stress is still the biggest problem facing UK workplaces, with excessive workloads, job cuts and rapid change the most common triggers for rising stress levels amongst employees, according to new research published by the TUC today (Tuesday). The figures, released in advance of tomorrow's International Stress Awareness Day, show that six out of ten union safety reps (61 per cent) questioned by the TUC for its 2006 biennial safety reps survey found stress to be their most pressing concern at work. Two years ago when the TUC last carried out its survey, 58 per cent of reps cited stress as the number one hazard at work, whereas in 2002, this figure was just 56 per cent. London is the most stressed out part of the UK (67 per cent of safety reps in the capital placed it top of their workplace hazards list), closely followed by the North West where 65 per cent said it was their biggest problem. And stress seems to be more of an issue in larger workplaces. In firms employing less than 50 staff, stress was the top concern for 58 per cent of safety reps, but in organisations with more than 1,000 employees, the figure rises to 67 per cent.
Country/Regional Focus: UK

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30 October 2006
© Trades Union Congress

0800 numbers for those claiming benefits

New 0800 numbers for people claiming working age benefits is one of a number of improvements to people's first contact with Jobcentre Plus, announced today by Employment and Welfare Reform Minister, Jim Murphy MP. The 0800 numbers will be made available to customers across the country over several months. In the majority of cases customers will only need to make a single call to a contact centre to get their claim for benefits such as Jobseekers' Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Income Support processed. The change will affect all customers claiming benefits. Speaking at the welfare reform conference in Edinburgh Jim Murphy said:'Many of our customers are among the poorest in society and we can do more to support them. We have to make sure that those who need help can make a claim quickly and easily and without being hit in the pocket. We have been piloting the 0800 number along with a range of other measures and I'm pleased that they have improved the service for our customers - now we're beginning to roll them out across the country. Getting welfare reform right is all about striking a balance between providing the opportunities for those who can to find work and ensuring the safety net is in place for those who cannot. A fast, efficient and free claims process is essential to the next phase in making that happen.' The measures have been piloted in North Lincolnshire and also the Central London district to test the new model in a demanding inner city area. Ultimately the aim is for anyone wishing to claim benefit to be able to make one call to an 0800 number to make their claim.
Country/Regional Focus: UK

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30 October 2006
© DWP

Businesses to be offered funding for workplace nurseries

Children, Young People and Families Minister Beverley Hughes today announced how a £16.8 million package of investment would be used to help small and medium sized businesses provide childcare for their employees. The workplace nurseries capital programme will be delivered by Regional Development Agencies, led by the London Development Agency (LDA). The scheme aims to make it easier for parents to balance their work and home lives, by helping employers provide childcare close to the workplace. It is also designed to enable small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to provide reliable and accessible childcare appropriate to the needs of their employees. Speaking at the Local Government Chronicle Conference, Beverley Hughes said: 'We need to talk to parents about their childcare needs, but we also need to engage their employers.

We want to ask them to help assess the childcare needs of their staff and raise awareness of the importance of family friendly policies. I want to see local authorities working closely with business as well as voluntary and private providers to ensure a diverse range of high quality care is available in every locality. Most good employers want to help families balance work and family life. Some are already providing childcare to make this happen - we want to take this further.'

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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25 October 2006
© Home Office

Europe turns to Northern Way to tackle worklessness

A £1.6million Northern Way project to tackle worklessness in County Durham is to come under the spotlight at a gathering of a European think tank tomorrow. The Aim High Routeback project was set up in November 2005 in the District of Easington an area with one of the highest concentrations of Incapacity Benefit claimants in the region. Now, thanks to its innovative and successful approach to the highly complex issue, the Easington pilot scheme is to be showcased as a European example at a conference organised by Health ClusterNET in Helsinki, Finland, on Wednesday (October 25). The event will bring together Senior Finnish government ministers and 13 European countries who work together to improve the contribution that the health care sector makes to regional development. Delegates will learn about the objectives and progress of the service from project manager Cynthia Bartley as part of a series of debates and master classes on employability.

Through a programme of condition management, employment and practical advice, the service aims to engage with people currently claiming benefit in Easington and help them back into work. Claimants can either refer themselves or be referred to the service by their GP, nurse, counsellor or community adviser and are encouraged to get involved in activities such as further education, training and volunteering to help them regain their confidence and return to work. To date the service, which is managed by Durham Primary Care Trust, has enrolled 143 people onto the programme their length of time claiming benefits ranging from two months to 27 years. Of those joining 42 have started work, two have started up in business and 23 have undertaken training.

Country/Regional Focus: Nothern England

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24 October 2006
© Northern Way

Controlled access to UK labour market for new accession countries

The UK's labour market will be opened gradually to citizens of Bulgaria and Romania after the two countries join the European Union in January 2007, Home Office Minister Liam Byrne announced today. The UK has decided to limit access to its labour market following the European Commission's recommendation to permit Bulgaria and Romania to join the EU on 1 January 2007. From that date Romanians and Bulgarians will have the right to travel throughout the EU. In the UK low-skilled workers from Romania and Bulgaria will be restricted to existing quota schemes to fill vacancies in the agricultural and food processing sectors. There will be no net increase in these existing schemes and workers will be required to have an authorisation document. Skilled workers will be able to work in the UK - as now - if they get a work permit or qualify under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, if they are a student, are self employed or as their dependents.

These new arrangements will be reviewed within 12 months and the Government's proposed new Migration Advisory Committee will assist in this process taking account of the needs of our labour market, the impact of the A8 accession and the positions adopted by other EU countries. Employers and employees will have a duty to abide by the new rules and there will be controls in place for rogue employers and illegal workers, including fixed penalty notices.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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25 October 2006
© Home Office

Towns and cities to deliver new homes and jobs - successful new growth point bids confirmed

House buyers and local economies got a boost today as Housing Minister Yvette Cooper confirmed 45 towns and cities as New Growth Points, with the potential to deliver up to 100,000 extra new homes and many more new jobs over the next ten years than previously planned. The proposals will deliver a substantial number of new homes to help first time buyers onto the property ladder and enable towns and cities to grow their economies by creating new jobs and encouraging business development. Norwich's growth proposals for example contain plans for 36,000 new jobs, and over 130,000 new jobs are planned in the East and South West regions alone. The successful bids put forward by over 70 local authorities with high housing demand contain a wide regional spread from Truro to Lincoln and include major cities like Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Birmingham and Bristol as well as large and small towns like Swindon, Reading and Ipswich, Grantham, Thetford and Maidstone.

These areas will share in £40m start up funding to support infrastructure, unlock sites for new housing and to assess and mitigate environmental impacts. This will make them more attractive for business investment and help young people who want to stay in their home town to find a home. The initiative is a crucial part of delivering an increase in housebuilding in England in response to economist Kate Barker's review of housing supply which found that over the last 30 years house building rates have halved whereas over the same period demand for new homes has increased by a third.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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24 October 2006
© Department for Communities and Local Government (National)

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Landmark guidance forecast to save £100m on local government's annual temporary staff bill

New national guidance is set to transform the way councils procure temporary staff which could deliver savings of up to £100 million a year on local government's annual temporary staff bill. Called 'Transforming the procurement of temporary, agency and interim staff', the guidance has been drawn up by the London Borough of Havering with funding from the London Centre of Excellence. The Office of Government Commerce has now adopted the guidance and is working with Havering and the nine Regional Centres of Excellence to promote it nationally.

The guidance, which has been written by local government HR, finance and procurement professionals, comes in the form of an easy-to-use toolkit. It sets out the different approaches to attracting and engaging temporary workers supplied to the public sector through Britain's large number of temporary staffing agencies. It also offers guidance on how to select the approach best suited to an organisation's needs, the latest legal and HR advice and number of best practice case studies.

Country/Regional Focus: UK

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17 October 2006
© Office of Government Commerce (National)

Mind your own business: new drive to improve employers' attitude to the mentally ill

A new initiative encouraging employers to improve the way they deal with mental health in the workplace was launched today by Health Minister Rosie Winterton to mark World Mental Health Day. The three year initiative, called 'Action on Stigma', urges employers to sign up to a set of anti-stigma principles - for example, demonstrating that they have made changes in their work environment and employment practices to ensure that people with mental health problems are treated fairly and equally with others.

To mark World Mental Health Day, the Department of Health today published a document setting out these principles, highlighting existing best practice and the vision for the 'Action on Stigma' initiative. It also announced the start of a listening exercise to find out the views of employers and what support they will need to meet these principles. Many employers who have taken part in projects to make their workplace culture more 'mental health friendly' have reported reduced staff turnover and sickness absences. Despite this: only about 20% of people with severe mental health problems are employed, compared to 65% of people with physical health problems and 75% for the whole adult population; even for people with more common types of mental illness, such as depression, only about half are competitively employed; however, people with mental health problems have the highest 'want to work rate' with up to 90% wanting to work, compared to 52% for disabled people generally. Although some of the principles are voluntary, adopting them will help public sector organisations, including local councils, government departments and hospitals, to meet the requirements of a new duty under the Disability Discrimination Act which comes into force in December 2006. This will require them to set out precisely how they intend to eliminate unlawful discrimination and promote equality of opportunity.

Country/Regional Focus: UK
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© Department of Health

PCA review published today - Murphy looks for change in attitude towards mental health

Announcing the publication of the Personal Capability Assessment (PCA) review, Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform, Jim Murphy, stated the need for a change in attitude towards mental health. He said: "In terms of mental health we are still lagging behind the progress we have made on entrenching the rights of people with disabilities in the work place.

"We know through surveys that almost half of employers believe there are difficulties in employing a person with clinical depression and that increases to almost three-quarters as regards schizophrenia. These attitudes are decades out of date - people with mental health problems today are facing the same kind of attitude from employers that people with a physical disability too often faced in the 1950s and 1960s. We have made great progress in extending disability rights since then, although discrimination still persists - which is why we introduced the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. But people with mental health conditions face some of the most extreme disadvantage, not least when it comes to the world of work.

Country/Regional Focus: UK
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10 October 2006
© Department for Work And Pensions

BT launches UK's Biggest employee mental health drive

BT has launched a major programme to tackle problems such as anxiety, depression and stress in its workforce. The company has worked with its trade unions to create the Work Fit - Positive Mentality campaign which provides practical guidance to its 104,000 employees across the globe on how to improve their mental health at work and at home.

Although the company has done a lot to promote mental health in recent years, it still has some 500 people off sick every day with psychiatric problems. BT hopes that by encouraging staff to adopt small changes in lifestyle and using proven techniques for increasing their resilience they will cope better with the pressures of modern living and work more creatively and productively. It is the first time a UK company has launched a health awareness programme on this scale to tackle mental health issues. It is estimated that one in four UK workers will suffer a mental health problem in their working lives. BT's Work Fit - Positive Mentality campaign has been drawn up in collaboration with the Communication Workers Union and Connect and with the support of the mental health charities, the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health and MIND. All of the company's employees in the UK and across the globe will be given information on how to stave off and combat mental ill-health. The programme will demonstrate how regular exercise, healthy eating, relaxation techniques and even the support of friends and family can help to ward off depression, stress and anxiety.  It will also educate staff to help reduce the stigma of mental illness and promote the range of support services that the company provides.

Country/Regional Focus: UK
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09 October 2006
© British Telecom

Migrant worker research published

New research revealing the risks faced by migrant workers in England and Wales was presented at a South East Region Trades Union Congress conference in London. It outlines the potential for exploitation of migrants and other workers in sectors where attention to health and safety is poor, and highlights the challenges to employers, HSE and other agencies in tackling the problems. The research was commissioned by HSE to assess whether risk of injury/ill health was greater for migrants. This followed the apparent rise in evidence of poor standards in migrant working conditions - such as the Morecambe Bay incident in February 2004 - that were not clearly reflected in an increase in complaints or reports to HSE under RIDDOR.

In addition, incident rates in industries where migrant employment is highest, including the agriculture and construction sectors, failed to show the expected increase in incident numbers that could be attributed to the influx of a significant migrant worker population. The report found that migrant workers may be experiencing higher levels of workplace accidents because they are more likely to work long hours, to work shifts and to have limited understanding of health and safety. Contributory factors also highlighted are communication difficulties and the fact migrants are more likely to take up work in sectors that they have not been trained or had experience working in. HSE believes that these factors are relevant to other vulnerable groups of workers as well, and is seeking to co-ordinate its efforts to ensure improved health and safety protection for all concerned.

Country/Regional Focus: England and Wales
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09 October 2006
© Health and Safety Executive