The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has written to Chairs of the FTSE 100 saying it will take legal action where there is evidence of systemic failing in preventing, or dealing with, sexual harassment. In the wake of the Hollywood and Westminster sexual harassment scandals, and the #MeToo social media campaign, the Commission has written to the Chairs of the FTSE 100 and other leading employers to remind them of their legal responsibility for the safety and dignity of their employees in ordinary workplaces across the country. It h... Continue reading

Genuinely diverse recruitment, a ‘grow your own’ approach to talent, leading by example and an open, high-communications culture are key areas that employers can address to help eliminate gender pay gaps, a new case study report from the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) reveals. However, just 3% of the estimated 7,000 employers affected by the gender pay gap reporting legislation have published their figures. Those that have reveal some significant average pay shortfalls for women, with the average of all the median pay gaps already ... Continue reading

Measures to control employee exposure to the second biggest cancer-causing agent found in the world’s workplaces have been introduced by a cross-sector of organisations. After signing a commitment to tackle the cancer risk posed by respirable crystalline silica (RCS), organisations have removed or substituted materials which contain the deadly dust, while others have introduced mechanisms to control what workers breathe in. The ‘Tackling respirable crystalline together: a cross-industry commitment’ was joined by organisations from acros... Continue reading

According to Carers UK, one in nine employees are currently caring for a family member and one in five carers give up work to care full-time. In fact, estimates from Age UK show that around £5.3bn has been wiped from the economy in lost earnings due to people who have dropped out of the workforce to take on caring responsibilities.  “(The big challenge is) convincing recruiters and employers that you still have potential and your past experience can still count,” says Jemeela Quraishi, Senior Development Manager of the CIPD Steps Ah... Continue reading

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is consulting on the implementation of new and revised Indicative Occupational Exposure Limit Values (IOELVs) for 31 chemical substances to help protect workers from the ill health effects of exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace. The consultative document sets out HSE’s proposals for establishing workplace exposure limits for the substances listed in the fourth Indicative Occupational Exposure Limit Values (IOELVs) Directive 2017/164/EU, in order to implement it in Great Britain. The Directi... Continue reading