Jun/090
Racist BBC World Service?
2 disgruntled ex employees are accusing the BBC World Service of being racist and unfair.
1 employee made claims that the newsroom was overpopulated by white, typical journalist types and that she never received any chance of promotion. Though the BBC strongly denies this, they settled the claim out of court.
Now another employee feels the same after his contract was terminated after he provided the BBC with 10 years of loyal service. The BBC claims that the employee was dismissed because he was not performing satisfactory and is surprised to be coming against racial accusations.
Jun/090
Young Vets To insist on Contract Of Employment
A survey has found that around 24% of young vetinarian graduates are working without a contract of employment. Worse still, most of these graduates know they are working without a contract but have not asked for one because they know bosses are dismissing them.
Contracts of Employment are extremely important within any working network as it outlines employee’s rights and roles within the company. Duties and responsibilities are addressed in a contract and without one there is no way to defend against unfair dismissal or other problems that come about.
The British Veterinary Association’s Young Vet Network are campaigning to make new graduates and existing young vets aware of Contracts of Employment, why they are important and why they must be in place.
They are hoping this campaign makes less young vets vulnerable within the work place.
Jun/090
National Minimum Wage
This year the National Minimum Wage is 10 years old.
From the 6th April 2009 employers will face a penalty if HM Revenue and Customs discover they have failed to pay the National Minimum Wage and workers will be entitled to have arrears of wage repaid to them at the current rate. These changes have been introduced by The Employment Act 2008.
If HMRC find that there has been an underpayment of the National Minimum Wage in an investigation that is ongoing from the 6th April 2009 they may issue a notice of underpayment requiring the employer to repay arrears to the workers and to pay a financial penalty to the Secretary of State. Employers will be able to appeal against the notice of underpayment to an Employment Tribunal.
The Employment Act 2008 also makes changes to the way that criminal offences under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 are investigated and enforced and from the 6th April 2009 the most serious cases will be triable in the Crown Court. The Act also gives HMRC the power to use search and sieze powers in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 when investigating criminal offences under the National Minimum Wage Act.
This now means that employers who deliberately fail to pay the minimum wage may face stiffer penalties.
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