Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials, Recent Payroll News on November 17th, 2008 | No Comments »
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This week’s newsletter covers two weeks’ worth of news and discusses a wide variety of subjects, including a review of Ireland Budget for 2009.
Posted November 17th, 2008 | No Comments »
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on November 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »
Statutory Sick Pay and agency workers are a key feature of this week’s news items. A new version SSP1 came into use from 27 October. The new, less work intensive, form can be downloaded from the DWP’s website or ordered in bulk. From the same date, the legislation that, in error apparently, prevented agency workers from receiving SSP if they are engaged for 3 months or less, has been rectified, enabling all agency workers to be paid SSP if they meet the qualifying conditions that apply to all employees. And, the European Parliament has been the “green light” for EU member states to start the process of providing equal treatment for agency workers in comparison with permanent workers. The UK government already has a basic framework for this new entitlement in place, with agreement from the TUC and reluctant agreement from the CBI for the equal treatment to apply after the first 12 weeks of an agency worker’s engagement with a particular employer.
Posted November 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on October 27th, 2008 | No Comments »
If you are expecting to use the new, A4-format P45 this month, or file some P45 or P46s on HMRC’s website, you need to read the relevant items in this week’s news. Our Employer FAQ this week also stays with the P45, with a reminder of the need to check the item 7 tax figure for every P45 you receive.
Posted October 27th, 2008 | No Comments »
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on October 20th, 2008 | No Comments »
There is just one UK news item this week and it involves Redrow Homes, a major construction company whose name has long been associated with employment status issues. Despite efforts by “armies of lawyers” to circumvent the statutory definition of “worker”, Redrow finds itself compelled once again to pay holiday pay to skilled construction workers and incurs criticism from the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
Posted October 20th, 2008 | No Comments »
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on October 13th, 2008 | No Comments »
The new UK identity cards start to be issued in November, initially to foreign immigrants. This should be a good thing for employers as it will make it easier to provide themselves with the “statutory excuse” needed in order to avoid the very heavy penalties now being imposed on employers who engage illegal migrant workers. This week’s news item on this subject provides links to documents that explain how the new cards should be checked.
Posted October 13th, 2008 | No Comments »
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on October 6th, 2008 | No Comments »
This week’s newsletter has a wide-ranging collection of short items, but with two general themes.
Posted October 6th, 2008 | No Comments »
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on September 29th, 2008 | No Comments »
I have taken a break from the Payroll News this week, so there are no new blog entries under UK Payroll News. Normal service will resume next week. In the meantime, please take a look at the latest press releases and coming events on the blog.
Posted September 29th, 2008 | No Comments »
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on September 21st, 2008 | Comments Off
A quiet week for news this week, for a change, and I hope you will be as entertained as I was by the Special Commissioner’s case reported this week. The decision is worth reading in full.
Posted September 21st, 2008 | Comments Off
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on September 14th, 2008 | No Comments »
As soon as we had “gone to press” with last week’s newsletter, we received a response from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) to our three questions. One was resolved, as is explained in the update item in this newsletter, but the other two issues are still up in the air. However, to give credit where it’s due, BERR’s new booklet on redundancy is excellent and would be a useful addition to any payroll or HR department’s library.
Posted September 14th, 2008 | No Comments »
Written by Ian Congreave - Filed under: Editorials on September 7th, 2008 | No Comments »
This week’s newsletter includes a major article on issues we have raised with the Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) which, I suspect, is not going to please that government department. Its unwillingness to engage with employers, despite its ownership of all of the UK’s employment law, is in marked contrast with HMRC which, over the past few years, has put on a very public face. Employers are HMRC’s customers and they are treated as such, even though we might not like the amount of tax we have to pay. Writers, like myself, who raise complex policy issues on the application of tax legislation, are well supported by HMRC’s press office. HMRC publishes its detailed technical manuals online for all to read. HMRC sends speakers to conferences to get its message across.
Posted September 7th, 2008 | No Comments »
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