Banned firm's workers 'scavenged'

A firm which left its Bulgarian workers to scavenge for food in a field has had its gangmasters licence revoked.

The 40 workers, from Baltic Work Team Limited in Redruth, Cornwall, were not paid for 35 days and had been eating some of the crops they were picking. The firm had already had its licence revoked by the Gangmaster Licensing Authority - but was allowed to carry on until 24 August after an appeal. However, a second inquiry led to the licence being withdrawn immediately. Baltic Work Team Limited, based on the Cardrew Industrial estate, has three weeks to appeal against the ruling. The Gangmaster Licensing Authority (GLA) had been investigating the company for a number of months. Read more
Source BBC

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How to calculate Holiday Entitlement

From 1 October 2007, the statutory holiday entitlement will increase from 4 weeks to 4.8 weeks (24 days, if you work a five-day week). From 1 April 2009, a further increase to 5.6 weeks (28 days, if you work a five-day week) will take effect.

If you are an employer, you will need to notify your staff in writing of any increase in holiday entitlement. You could do this through a letter to staff or by a statement on pay slips. For the full guide click here.
Source FPB

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Encore supplies to Honda

Honda UK Manufacturing have utilised Encore Personnel’s services to supply 96 skilled production line operatives.

The brief was to source, supply and relocate 96 production associates over an eight week period at only two weeks notice for a minimum 6 month contract. Encore fulfilled the brief using its On-Site, European and Technical divisions to organise recruitment drives in Poland followed by pre-screening, interviewing and testing along with transportation and accommodation. Encore positioned two representatives on site to co-ordinate the operation.

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Dispute over employees' Facebook page

The directory service 118 118 has asked social networking site Facebook to delete one of its pages, on which former employees criticise the company.

The 'Survivors of 118 118' page - set up by two former staff members - features an invective against both 118 118 and its customers, that has captured media attention in recent days. 118 118 spokesperson, William Ostrom, said: "They absolutely do not represent the views and the attitudes of the vast majority of our staff. "We are now in discussion with Facebook for them to withdraw the comments on the grounds that they are defamatory to our customers." Read more

Source HR Review

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Employee Attitudes

Almost a quarter of employees felt they were caught in a trap at work, according to a poll by workplace experts Croner, carried out on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley (16 August).

It found that 24% said that the Elvis classic ‘Suspicious Minds’ was the song that best described their workplace and 13% felt ‘All Shook Up’ by work because they were too worried or stressed by not being able to keep to deadlines. The poll showed that 13% of employees had a manager who recognised people’s skills and took them with them as they move up and on in their own careers. However, 11% of respondents were not so complimentary, saying their boss favoured some colleagues over others. Only 5% of those asked felt their boss had a ‘Wooden Heart’. Richard Smith, employment services director at Croner, says: “Stress and feelings of loneliness, isolation and being trapped are as pertinent today as they were in 1977 - perhaps even more so in modern Britain where the pressure to succeed and long hours worked mean that career-minded individuals push themselves to the limit. “Employers need to be alert to the dangers and develop strategies for tackling any issues that employees have before they become really serious problems and start to undermine employees’ confidence and feelings of worth and value.”

Source Recruiter Magazine

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DRIVING RECRUITMENT

Employers in the logistics industry must plan ahead to prevent a recruitment crisis, according to a survey by Skills for Logistics.

The research revealed that one HGV driver in six is currently aged 55 or over, with almost one-fifth of drivers leaving the industry each year because of retirement or ill health. It found that fewer than one tenth of vacancies are being filled by staff new to the driving industry. Current recruitment trends could be concealing future problems for the industry if an ageing workforce is not being replaced by younger, new recruits, it said.

The research revealed that 80% of HGV driver vacancies advertised last year were filled by experienced drivers, with more than half of all vacancies being filled within a month.
It found that while the number of employers trying to recruit staff dropped from 40% in 2005 to 30% in 2006, the number of vacancies in the industry has seen a rapid increase in 2007 – 7,606 vacancies for HGV drivers were advertised in June 2006, but by June 2007 this figure had increased 95% to 14,853. Ian Hetherington, Skills for Logistics chief executive, believes diversity and training could hold the key to attracting more staff and retaining those already in the industry. “We know that companies who offer continual professional development schemes have a lower rate of staff turnover. Pay and working conditions are similar across the industry so employers need to offer something extra to set them apart from the crowd.”

Source Recruiter Magazine

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Pregnancy to parenthood – the legal basics

For the first 26 weeks of maternity leave, an employee continues to receive all the normal benefits stipulated under her job contract, except when it comes to wages, and some types of bonus. During this period, holiday time accrues. Other continuing "contractual benefits" might include company car or mobile phone (unless for business use only), healthclub membership, company share schemes, professional subscriptions. Any employer that keeps up these benefits, including holiday accrual into the second 26 weeks of leave, is providing more than the legal minimum. Read more

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MIGRANT WORKERS

Thousands of highly skilled workers who previously faced deportation following changes made to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) will be allowed to remain in the UK following a report by The Joint Committee on Human Rights

The committee found that changes in the immigration rules for HSMP, introduced in 2006, are not in accordance with the law in respect of Article 8(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights. It says the changes would lead to up to 90% of the UK’s current HSMP population, of more than 49,000 people, becoming ineligible to remain in the UK permanently.

Source The Recruiter

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Radio earmuffs recommended for workers

Employees working in noisy environments may benefit from a new generation of hearing protectors, designed both to deliver music and to provide a reduction in background noise.

Some modern hearing protectors are being fitted with built-in radios which enable workers to listen to music while they work. However, they also offer hearing protection, both by limiting the volume at which the radio can be played and by reducing the level of background noise in the workplace. Brad Witt, audiology and regulatory affairs manager at the Bacou-Dalloz Hearing Safety Group - a world leader in hearing safety - commented: "Since the radio output is limited to a safe 82 dB maximum, the radio adds very little noise to effective exposures in high noise levels. "In a high-noise job that is also repetitive or monotonous, a radio earmuff can add significantly to worker satisfaction and enjoyment, without sacrificing hearing protection." According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), over one million employees in Great Britain are exposed to levels of noise which could place their hearing at risk, including construction workers and those operating in the bar and club industry.

Source HR Review

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Three Rs could land bosses in the dock

Testing applicants' basic reading and writing skills could land employers in court.

The warning follows a landmark case which ruled mild forms of dyslexia to be considered as a disability. In July, Chief Inspector David Paterson won his case against the Metropolitan Police for their failure to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate his disability - particularly in relation to an examination for promotion. An initial employment tribunal ruled he was not disabled but this was overturned on appeal. A further tribunal will now take place to rule whether his claim for disability discrimination succeeds. Marcus Difelice, partner at leading law firm Brabners Chaffe Street, said: "Employers need to seriously consider if such tests are necessary or, if they can alter them in a way that makes them fairer to people with dyslexia." Dyslexia affects around 10 per cent of the population, including celebrities such as Richard Branson, Keira Knightley and Prince Harry. It is estimated around three million of Britain's workforce may suffer from the disorder.

Source HR Zone

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Issue 40 – August 2007

Welcome to the August issue of Encore enews bringing together recent news items relating to the world of work – a magazine read by 5000 recruiters every single month!

This month’s Business Round-Up