As part of its efforts to increase uptake, the task force is highlighting the business benefits of flexible working which include addressing skill and labour shortages by making work more accessible to older people and those with caring responsibilities, for example: • Improving productivity by increasing employee motivation • Boosting job satisfaction, engagement and well-being, while also helping to reduce sickness absence • Helping organisations to retain staff, particularly those with caring responsibilities • Creating more diverse workforces which reduces the gender pay gap by giving more opportunities for women to progress into senior roles.
The task force has also published guidance for employers on how to champion flexible working in their own organisations.
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Consultation on extending redundancy protection for women and new parents 28 January 2019
A consultation has been published which recommends that the current protection afforded under the Maternity and Paternity Leave etc Regulations 1999 be extended to cover the period of pregnancy and a period after.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is seeking views on extending redundancy protection for pregnant women and mothers. The consultation also sets out more widely what the department is doing to tackle pregnancy and maternity discrimination and explains the current law on redundancy protection.
This is a commitment that was made in the government’s response to the Taylor Review, and had also previously been raised by the Women and Equalities Select Committee (WESC).
The consultation recommends that that the current protection afforded under the Maternity and Paternity Leave etc Regulations 1999 (which apply to the period of maternity leave) be extended to cover the period of pregnancy and a period after, an extension of 6 months.
The consultation asks how best to achieve that and who would be covered, for example, those taking Shared Parental Leave or Adoption Leave.
BEIS has produced an online survey for interested stakeholders to provide feedback (closes 5 April 2019).
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Change to online right to work checks 29 January 2019
Changes to the online right to work checking service will mean that employers can use the service to demonstrate they conducted the necessary right to work checks on migrants, without having to rely on paper documents.
The Right to Work Checking Service, which is secure and free to use, was launched in April 2018, however until mid- December 2018 employers still needed to request paper documents alongside using the service. Changes to the online service mean that employers can use it to demonstrate they conducted the necessary right to work checks on migrants and avoid a penalty if they are found to be employing illegal workers. This is another step that is being taken to simplify and modernise the immigration system. The online Right to Work Checking Service makes the checks simpler for employers and provides greater security as they no longer need to rely on physical documents when checking migrants’ status, further reducing the risk of forged documents being presented.
The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
Payroll: need to know
cipp.org.uk
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