The discussions focused around 3 key areas; The Role of the Tax Framework in Driving Employment Trends, Employment Status, Rights and Benefits and Agency Workers. Presentations were made by PRISM, The Institute of Directors, The Law Society and APSCo which were followed by healthy discussions and debates. Common themes emerged through all the debates with broad agreement that the current framework was too complex, leading to differing interpretations of the rules which resulted in unintended market distortions. It was also generally felt that this complexity made it difficult to deliver an effective enforcement regime. A phrase that was used throughout the meeting was ‘The Sticking Plaster Approach’ with agreement that a more strategic approach was required, as businesses would need enough notice of planned changes to adapt and change protecting both the economy as well as the flexibility.
A critical question was asked – ‘Should tax and employment remain linked or not’? It was felt that the answer to this was central to delivering a lasting framework.
Crawford Temple went on to say: ‘Having the answer to this question is fundamental to even begin the journey of creating a lasting framework around Modern Employment. Current consultations touch on tax and recognise that it does play a role in decisions around employment but fail to examine this in detail. This leaves uncertainty on whether a view has been formed on this basic underlying principle.’
There was also broad agreement that more needs to be done to educate and inform both employers and workers, with government departments encouraged to take a more proactive approach.
CIPP are currently running two surveys on of which we would value your input:
Enforcement of employment rights survey (closes 13 May 2018)
Measures to increase transparency in the UK labour market survey (closes 11 May 2018)
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London bus drivers to receive wage boost due to Unite campaign 15 May 2018
London’s bus drivers will shortly see their minimum pay rates increase as a result of policies agreed between Unite, the UK’s largest union, and Sadiq Khan, mayor of London.
Unite brokered a deal with Mr Khan last year which introduced the London Bus Driver Professional Pay scheme which sets the minimum rate that all new starters will receive. The initial rate was set at £23,000 in 1 April 2017 and it was agreed that it will increase by the Retail Price Index (RPI) each year.
The new rate backdated from April 2018 is £23,912. Experienced bus drivers will expect to earn more than the minimum pay rate.
The London Bus Drive Professional Pay scheme is one of a number of initiatives that Unite has agreed with the Mayor of London to improve working conditions for bus drivers.
In January this year a ‘licence for London’ was introduced for bus drivers, meaning that when any of London’s 25,000 bus drivers transfer between bus companies, in London, they will start at a pay grade equivalent to their previous rate of pay. Under the previous system they would have been placed on the lowest pay rate, even if they had many years’ driving experience.
Read the full press release from Unite.
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The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
Payroll: need to know
cipp.org.uk
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