New figures released by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) reveal that there has been a 45% increase in the number of people working part-time because they can’t find full time work since the recession began.   Whilst many people prefer to work part-time due to family... read more

Tory plans to block next year's planned rise of 1% in Employer's National Insurance Contributions have been confirmed in the Queen's Speech. read more

The new coalition government has promised to extend the right to request flexible working arrangements to all employees. The right to request flexible working, introduced in the Employment Act 2002, originally applied to carers of children under the age of 6, or 18 for a disabled child. The... read more

A recent campaign launch by mental health charity Mind, supported by Dragon's Den entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne, has caught my eye. The businessman helped to launch Mind’s new film about the cost of putting on a brave face at work.  The film, illustrates the lengths that staff will go to... read more

Judge Charles Harris QC has reportedly told the Times that some aspects of the law have become so complex that Judges have to have it explained to them by academic experts and that a "torrent" of legislation has made the legal system incomprehensible to Judges and the public alike. Another... read more

Now that the Liberal-Conservative coalition has been formed and the new Prime Minister has announced who takes which job, we take a look at the figures who will be likely to influence the future shape of Employment Law, HR and Industrial Relations over the coming years: Chancellor of the... read more

In a recent case backed by unions, more than 4,000 female civil servants have won the right to be paid the same as their male colleagues.The female workers are employed by Birmingham City Council and between them work in over 40 different jobs, from cleaners to lollipop ladies.  These female... read more

We are now facing the UK’s first hung parliament in 36 years and the future still remains very uncertain.  No party has enough seats to govern alone effectively and the widely predicted back-room negotiations continue.  According to news reports, meetings have taken place between... read more

As if the aviation industry didn't have enough troubles at the moment, with erupting volcanoes, increasing fuel prices and a difficult financial environment, BA could be facing further planned strikes by cabin crew just in time for the World Cup. Strikes have been planned for 18 May, 22... read more

The Court of Appeal has recently handed down an interesting decision on age discrimination relating to the relatively commonplace practice of limiting eligibility for higher pay grades to those with designated qualifications. Could this be indirect age discrimination because employees of... read more