With the ever increasing use of social media the case of Teggart v TeleTech, which relates to offensive Facebook comments, gives some insight into possible actions that an employer may take. Mr Teggart worked for TeleTech UK Ltd, which provides call-centre services for a number of clients. Mr Teggart’s “friends” on Facebook included some work colleagues. While[…]
The take up of apprenticeships is increasing among employers. Here is a checklist of things to consider when employing apprentices: 1. Ensure you can offer 30 hours per week for at least a year 2. Can you afford more than minimum wage, particularly if there is a subsidy available to you? Are you paying what[…]
Increasingly there is talk of the importance of employee engagement in the workplace. But what does best practice in employee engagement look like? Here are a few key principles: Identify the problems that make the workplace uninteresting for employees Experiment and innovate to come up with effective and practical employee engagement activities […]
More than half of those who could, and should, be preparing financially for later life are not saving enough and one in five is saving nothing at all, according to a report by Scottish Widows. Of those aged over 30, not retired and earning more than £10,000 per year, just 45 per cent are making[…]
Net lending by banks under the Government’s Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) fell by £300 million in the first quarter of the year, data from the Bank of England (BoE) shows. Just 13 of the 40 banks that participate in the FLS made drawdowns from the scheme in the three months to 31 March 2013,[…]
The shifting of the PAYE system to Real Time Information (RTI) is well underway, with nearly 1.4 million employers now reporting their employee PAYE information to HMRC before, or on, the date that payments are made. This translates to 83 per cent of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). However, SMEs have been granted some[…]
One in five small businesses feels optimistic about growth and expansion following the Government’s announcement to introduce a £2,000 allowance towards employer National Insurance contributions (NICs), research by Direct Line for Businesses has found. A third of businesses also plan to recruit additional staff to take advantage of the reduced cost of employment once the[…]
After last year’s controversies regarding VAT on such things as pasties, caravans, self-storage and listed buildings, this has been a fairly quiet year so far regarding VAT changes. The 2013 Budget provided the usual announcements about the new registration and deregistration thresholds from 1 April 2013 (£79,000 and £77,000 respectively) and updated tables for private[…]