The Environment Agency’s new charging scheme for regulatory permits and services came into effect on 1 April 2018. The new charges have been introduced so that businesses and organisations cover the full cost of the services they receive rather than the public – this represents a more financially sustainable model which is simpler, fairer and more effective and that will lead to long-term environmental improvements. Charges for permits and other regulatory services have remained static for the last seven years. The charges were drafted wi... Continue reading

Hundreds of disabled employees are to benefit from a £15,000 rise in Access to Work grants to assist them at work, following new measures introduced in Parliament on 20 March. From April 2018, people will be able to claim up to £57,200 annually to help pay for additional support that they may need in the workplace – approximately £15,000 more than the current cap of £42,100. Access to Work provides financial support to ensure someone’s disability or health condition doesn’t hold them back at work, and can cover workplace adaptations... Continue reading

A private members' bill, which seeks to make unpaid trial shifts illegal, has had its second parliamentary hearing. Currently, asking a prospective employee to carry out a voluntary trial shift is legal, with smaller businesses often relying on these as part of their recruitment processes. However, the Unpaid Trial Work Periods (Prohibition) Bill tabled by Stewart McDonald MP, will force employers to pay prospective staff from the first hour of work during a trial or probation period, whether or not they are kept on in the role. Stewart McDon... Continue reading

Corrosive working cultures have silenced the voices of victims and normalised sexual harassment, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has said as it published a set of recommendations to better protect people at work. Focusing on changing culture, greater transparency, and strengthening legal protection, the recommendations call on government to introduce legislation preventing employers from using non-disclosure agreements to sweep sexual harassment under the carpet and protect their reputation. Instead, they should only be used at a vict... Continue reading

Current policies supporting fathers in the workplace do not deliver what they promise, despite good intentions, and this is particularly the case for less well-off fathers, according to a new report by The Women and Equalities Committee.  MPs say that the government must reform workplace policies to ensure they meet the needs of the 21st century family and to better support working dads in caring for their children. The report concludes that the right to request flexible working has not created the necessary cultural change and the governmen... Continue reading