A recent factsheet from personnel professionals’ body CIPD (but written by Acas) explains what mediation is, how it works and looks at factors to consider when implementing mediation in an organisation, www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/general/mediation.htm This is a summary of a more detailed guide, mentioned in earlier news item,  at http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1364

Weblink

18 November 2008
© VoluntaryNews

The newly unemployed face a bigger cut in their living standards in this recession than those who lost their jobs under the previous government, the TUC says today (Wednesday) in a call to the Government to increase unemployment benefits in next week’s Pre-Budget Report. The TUC believes that increasing Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) would prevent hardship and provide an effective boost to the economy alongside tax cuts. JSA for a newly unemployed single person over 25 is just £60.50 a week. The gap between earnings and JSA has increased over the last 30 years because JSA has increased each year in line with price inflation, not earnings. This means that the newly unemployed will face a bigger drop in their income than in the recessions of the 1980s and 1990s. If JSA had been increased in line with earnings over the last thirty years, the rate for a single person over twenty-five would now be more than £100 a week. Increasing it in line with earnings since 1997 would give it a value of £75 a week - £15 more than its current level. This means that the gap between benefit and earnings has grown by 20 per cent since the Government came to power.

Weblink

11 November 2008
© TUC

Around 1,000 jobs will be created or safeguarded with support from Regional Selective Assistance (RSA). The Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said the latest quarterly report demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to help businesses of all sizes through the problems caused by the global economic downturn as part of the Scottish Economic Recovery Plan. The report shows 25 businesses in Scotland accepted RSA totalling over £8 million in the third quarter of 2008. This relates to planned investment of almost £37 million and includes manufacturing, design and wind turbine sales and servicing projects. Mr Mather said: “During the global economic slowdown, every extra pound spent in our economy could protect a job or save a business. Regional Selective Assistance not only helps safeguard jobs, it encourages investment in new ventures which will help to position Scotland for a faster and stronger recovery.
The Scottish Government has already set out a six point plan to help both householders and businesses which we will build on across government throughout the weeks and months to come.
RSA complements other Scottish Government initiatives to create the more competitive business environment Scotland needs - including slashing and scrapping rates for small business, planning reform and accelerating investment in affordable housing. We have also recently increased aid limits for ‘Tier 3′ assistance to help more small and medium sized firms that are investing in their business at this important and challenging time in the business cycle. We want to see the benefits of increased sustainable economic growth felt in all communities, so it is pleasing to see so many companies in different areas benefit from RSA grants.”

Weblink

29 October 2008
© Scottish Government

The number of people spending more than one hour per day commuting to work fell by 206,000 in 2007, according to TUC analysis of official statistics released today. The TUC analysis - produced to coincide with Workwise UK’s Commute Smart week this week - of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) shows a fall of one per cent from 2006, from 21.9 per cent (5,517,000 people) to 20.9 per cent (5,311,000 people) of employees undertaking commuter journeys of longer than one hour. The drop in commute times follows a campaign to promote smarter working by the WorkWise UK coalition, which includes the TUC, the CBI, Transport for London and other leading organisations. Smarter working includes working from home, flexi-time schemes and other ways of escaping from the ‘9 to 5′ rat race while still doing your job.
 
Weblink

28 October 2008
© TUC

Today marks the end of Incapacity Benefit for new claimants and the era of writing people off and marks the dawn of a new benefit, Employment and Support Allowance, designed to give people the support they need to improve their health, their skills and look for work. The new Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is tailor made for disabled people and people with ill-health and is part of the Government’s radical welfare reforms, which aim to get 1 million people off incapacity benefits by 2015. From today new claimants who cannot work due to ill-health or disability will be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Within weeks of making a claim, customers will have their capability assessed by an expert health professional through the new Work Capability Assessment. The new assessment is designed to look at what people can do rather than what they can’t - and will ensure that those who can work are given the help and support they need to get back to work and will make sure that no-one is written off and consigned to a life on benefits. People who are assessed as having the severest disabilities or health conditions will go into the ’support group’ and get more money - the poorest of receiving a minimum of £102.10 per week. Everyone else will go into the ‘work group.’ Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell said: “In the 1990s people were written off on Incapacity benefit with no help to overcome their problems or support to get them into work. It is even more important during an economic downturn that we increase support for people not take it away. The introduction of Employment and Support Allowance, which marks a significant landmark for the delivery of our welfare reforms, will offer the help and support disabled people and people with ill health are telling us they want in order for them to get back to work.” Employment and Support Allowance replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support on the grounds of incapacity for new claimants only. Incapacity Benefit and Income Support continue in payment for existing customers.

Weblink

27 October 2008
© Department for Work And Pensions (National)

‘Mediation: An Employer’s Guide’ is a new publication from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and Acas which champions mediation as an effective way of organisations avoiding ending up at employment tribunals. It draws on a comprehensive survey of CIPD members and case studies (which included Salisbury Cathedral as a small/medium-sized charity). Acas news item at http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2103 or download (pdf, 486KB) from http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1364

Weblink

2 October 2008
© VoluntaryNews

A major new initiative to help give the chance of a job to more people who have experienced homelessness is being announced today by Housing Minister Caroline Flint. Homeless charities, led by Thames Reach, are joining forces with the Government to deliver a new ambition to employ at least 10 per cent of their workforce from ex-homeless people. The new plan, backed by £200,000 of investment, will help around 800 people to find work in the voluntary sector over the next 2 years. The initiative will focus on the 46 biggest homeless organisations before moving on to other smaller charities across England. Under the scheme homeless charities will be given a bespoke consultancy service to help them employ ex-homeless people. The charities will get support to set up training courses across many areas of their business, including IT, finance and client counselling.

Weblink

11 September 2008
© Communities and Local Government

A strict new list of shortage jobs which targets migration better at the needs of British businesses, while reinforcing the selective approach of the new Australian-style points based system, was presented to the Home Office today by independent advisors. The recommended shortage occupation list would bring in a more flexible, larger set of work categories but would see the number of individual positions open to migrants reduced by 30 per cent. The Home Office tasked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), an independent panel of economists, with overhauling the current shortage occupation list and will now pressure test their recommendations carefully before publishing the final list in October.

Weblink

9 September 2008
© Home Office (National)

Three and a half million people (14 per cent or one in seven of the workforce) say they have been bullied in their current job according to a YouGov poll for the TUC published today (Friday). 21 per cent (one in five) say that bullying is an issue where they work. Bullying is more likely in the public sector where 19 per cent say they have been bullied compared to 12 per cent in the private sector and eight per cent in the voluntary sector. Surprisingly people in professional and associate professional jobs are the most likely to be bullied (16 per cent). This may reflect the large number of professional and associate professional jobs in the public sector such teaching, and across the NHS. Men are more likely to be bullied (16 per cent) than women (12 per cent). 45-54 year olds (19 per cent), followed by 35-44 year olds (17 per cent) are the age groups most likely to be bullied. 25-34 year olds are the least bullied (8 per cent).

Weblink

4 September 2008
© TUC

A ground-breaking interactive map will, for the first time, offer businesses in the East of England a simple view of publicly-funded business support that can help them on their journey to success. Businesses are often confused by the array of business support services available to them. However, the East of England Development Agency’s (EEDA’s) new online Business Map will take them on a clearly-defined route through the services according to their specific needs. The ultimate aim is to help businesses compete more effectively in the global marketplace. Inspired by the design of an underground map, each ‘line’ represents a different area of support or advice. From increasing sales to employing staff, maximising growth opportunities to finding the right source of finance - the map is the ideal starting point for any business seeking support. As the journey continues, businesses are taken through a number of ’stations’ offering practical solutions to today’s business challenges.Content

Weblink

1 September 2008
© EEDA