The Chancellor's budget announced an "expectation" that lone parents should look for work when their youngest child goes to school.  It is unclear how the Government plan to encourage or enforce such expectation. Tory pledges during the election included broad extensions to the... read more

The Chancellor is announcing the budget as I type.  So far, the following headline points stand out for anyone interested in HR or Employment Law:   1.   2 year pay freeze for public sector workers earning more than £21,000.  The BBC reports that 1.7 million... read more

It has recently been reported that the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has called on the government to produce clear guidance on drug-testing in the workplace.   In their report the TUC have submitted that rather than resort to drug-testing, employers should spend their time developing a... read more

The Times has reported this morning that British business leaders are calling to the Government to implement new strike laws to deal with the anticipated wave of industrial action and strikes. The Budget is due to be announced tomorrow and it is widely anticipated that it will contain... read more

The proposals by the government to extend flexitime to all employees have received support from many.  In a survey by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 47% of those surveyed considered flexible working the most favoured benefit in the workplace, with only 19% favouring bonuses.  The new trend... read more

Research shows that staff who feel valued by their employer are happier, more motivated and dedicated to ensuring the success of the business.  With ongoing economic uncertainty, some companies are reluctant to invest in employee initiatives but this could have a detrimental impact in the... read more

Spanish public sector workers are striking today in response to planned austerity measures which according to the BBC, reportedly include a 5% cut in public sector pay, followed by a pay freeze in 2011. Strikes are affecting essential services such as emergency services,... read more

The Government's Pensions and Savings Bill was announced in the Queen's Speech and proposes to restore the link between earnings and the state pension. The trade off is the plan to increase the state pension age. Proposals are also announced, to phase out the default retirement age, although... read more

I’m really looking forward to a Lexis Nexis Boardroom Disputes Conference I’m going to in London on Thursday 10th June.  Boardroom disputes can be tricky to resolve at the best of times.  Even if it is kept behind closed doors, a dispute can easily damage the company's ability to... read more

It is officially World Cup season and World Cup frenzy is definitely under way.   The day time (or otherwise work time) matches may cause a problem for many employers, as thousands of worker or employee fans want to watch the matches important to them.  For some employees, this... read more