18 October 2012
The Department of Business innovation & Skills (BIS) want to hear from you as today they have opened a consultation to gather views on the implementation of the Government proposal to create a new employment status of “Employee Owner” which, it is proposed, will give business greater choice, whilst at the same time looking to ensure ‘appropriate levels of protection’ for the individual.
“The proposal is to create a distinct new employment status that a tribunal would easily be able to distinguish from other forms of employment.”
The full details of the consultation, which closes on the 8th November 2012 can be found at Employee Owner Status
MAJOR CHANGES LEAKED FOR PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEE WORKING CONDITIONS
12 October 2012
Leaked Cabinet Office documents have revealed plans to cut holidays, lengthen working weeks and reduce flexible working for 450,000 public employees.
Workplace Law has reported that the documents also reveal aspects of working life that are likely to change, including employees’ annual leave, occasional days leave, sick pay, hours of work, the ability of employees to move from one job to another and probationary periods.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said:
"Because we want to attract the best staff, we will remain an employer with good terms and conditions, as we have always been. However, while there has been significant recent change in pay and pensions, there are other terms and conditions that have not been updated and are now outliers compared to best practice. We will address this and ensure a modern employment offer is available to all." The government’s planned reforms are set to be implemented quickly, with directors in every Whitehall department expected to have examined the terms and conditions of their workforce and outlined their plans to make their jobs more like those in the private sector by the end of the year. It is suggested that the aim is to deliver all reforms over two years, starting in April 2013, with the initial review process being split into three phases to be completed by the end of this year. The three phases are as follows: An assessment of terms and conditions to be submitted by 19 October A draft implementation of changes and a plan with key dates to be submitted by 16 November An implementation strategy and plan to be submitted by 31 December. Plans to rush through major changes would be “a sickening blow” for many public sector workers according to the General Secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, Mark Serwotka. He added: "Amid an imposed pay freeze, and cuts to pensions and redundancy terms, the Cabinet Office now wants to undermine some very basic working conditions that any decent employer should offer."
CIPP Policy News Journal
12/04/2013, Page 320 of 362
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker