pension contributions. £1,500 will also be paid to businesses to assist with setting up support and training for those on the Kickstart Scheme.
Research highlights that, as of 31 August 2020, 523,000 jobs were furloughed where employees were aged 24 and below, and in August 2020, there were more than 600,000 16-24 year olds who weren’t in employment, who were in receipt of Universal Credit.
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BBC cleared of all pay discrimination cases 19 November 2020
Following an investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, it has been confirmed that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been cleared of all pay discrimination cases that have been filed by employees.
In March 2019, an investigation was launched into 40 pay complaints, out of a total of 1,000 submitted by employees of the BBC from 1 January 2016 onwards. As part of the investigation, the systems and processes utilised by the BBC to pay staff were assessed. The Equality and Human Rights Commission determined that in the cases that were examined, there was no evidence of unlawful pay discrimination. The commission did confirm, however, that the BBC should work to build trust and transparency among female employees. Back in January 2020, Sarah Montague who presents on Radio four, announced that she had received a £400,000 settlement and an apology from the BBC, due to the fact that she received less pay than her male equivalents. Samira Ahmed, a television presenter, also won an employment tribunal case against the BBC, in relation to the fact that she was paid six times less than Jeremy Vine for a similar presenting role on Points of View.
Employee Benefits reported that the interim chairman at the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Caroline Waters, said:
“This investigation was prompted by public concern about pay inequality between men and women employed by the BBC. We did not find unlawful pay discrimination in the cases we analysed during our investigation. However, we did identify themes relating to past pay practices that could give rise to a risk of pay discrimination. While this investigation considered possible pay discrimination by one major employer in the UK, equal pay must be a priority for all employers. For too long the effects of pay inequality have been seriously damaging for women and for organisations. Much more proactive effort is needed to eliminate unfairness, adopt objective and transparent pay systems, and establish a culture of trust, honesty and accountability.”
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Inflation climbs to 0.7% 19 November 2020
The latest data released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) highlights the fact that inflation has grown to 0.7% for the month of October 2020, which is an increase from the 0.5% reported in relation to September 2020.
This makes it the third consecutive month in which inflation has increased, since August’s inflation rate of 0.2%. The rate recorded in August 2020 was the lowest recorded for a period of five years. The Bank of England’s target currently sits at 2%, so there is a substantial way to go before that figure is reached, but the rate has climbed more than experts anticipated, who predicted that the rate of inflation would probably sit at around 0.5%
Deputy statistician at the ONS, Jonathan Athow, commented:
“The rate of inflation increased slightly as clothing prices grew, returning to their normal seasonal pattern after the disruption this year.”
The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
Payroll: need to know
cipp.org.uk
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