What's New
November
National Minimum Wage - Service Charges, Tips, Gratuities, and Cover Charges: A Consultation - November 2008
Open consultation to review the current ways for which tips are used in payment of the NMW. It is intended to invite comments from employers, workers and consumers, to form a picture of the current arrangement to assist the Government in determining the precise nature of any regulatory change relating to the treatment of mandatory and non mandatory service charges, tips, gratuities and cover charges in payment of the national minimum wage and how improvements to information to consumers might be achieved.
Employee engagement - the MacLeod review
The Department for Business has commissioned David MacLeod to lead a review of Employee Engagement, and would like your views. The review will seek to define effective employee engagement, examine the barriers which are preventing businesses engaging with their employees and consider non-regulatory solutions that can be offered to help business overcome such obstacles
Employee engagement - MacLeod review
October
National Minimum Wage Rates
If you are 22 or over the national minimum wage is now £5.73 per hour. There are now new rates for younger workers too. Guidance on the national minimum wage can be found on Directgov for employees and businesslink.gov.uk for employers.
National Minimum Wage Guide
Guidance on workers' rights and employers' obligations under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and the subsequent secondary legislation, the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999. This guide's aim is to help employers ensure that they pay their workers at least the national minimum wage, and to help workers establish whether they are getting what they are entitled to.
National minimum wage guide
(317KB)
(317KB)September
A Consultation on the proposal to amend the European Works Council Directive
The Government is seeking your views on a proposal to recast Council Directive 94/45/EC on the establishment of a European Works Council (EWC) or a procedure in Community scale undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees.
A consultation on the proposal to amend the European Works Council Directive
August
Consultation on implementing the recommendations of Imelda Walsh's independent review: amending and extending the right to request flexible working to parents of older children
This consultation follows on from the Government’s announcement in May that it would be extending the right to request flexible working to those with parental responsibility for children aged 16 and under. This was the key recommendation of the independent review by Imelda Walsh, HR Director of Sainsbury’s. The consultation will also explore ways to make dealing with flexible working requests easier for businesses.
Consultation on implementing the recommendations of Imelda Walsh's independent review
Vulnerable worker enforcement forum
Since 1997, a fair framework of basic workplace rights has been put in place, including rights to a minimum wage and paid leave, and the right not to have to work more than 48 hours a week on average. The key challenge now is to ensure that all workers – particularly vulnerable workers – benefit from these rights.
Final report and Government conclusions on link below (published 5 August 2008) :
Final report and Government conclusions on link below (published 5 August 2008) :