| Training Hot Topics – Predictions for 2009! | | | | and diversity impact assessments as well as |
| · Equal Pay, Impact Assessments, | | | | redundancy assistance programmes for staff and |
| Welfare Benefit Reforms & Redundancy Training | | | | further courses on employment law for managers. Our |
| and Consultancy will top 2009 agenda | | | | welfare benefits training also includes a link where |
| · New Law on Training will open up new | | | | needed to immigration law. |
| areas | | | | New Training Rights in 2009 |
| Equal Pay and Redundancy | | | | And another new law will come before Parliament |
| The Government’s Equal Pay and Flexible Working | | | | next year. The law will give employees a new right to |
| Bill moves apace and will be law by April. The Bill | | | | request time at work to undertake training. The training |
| contains a number of proposals but by far the most | | | | requested must be “relevant” and as with |
| radical change, and which has been missed by many | | | | flexible working laws, these requests must be |
| commentators, concerns general equal pay audits. The | | | | “properly considered” by the employer. |
| specific provision reads:- | | | | Ahead of the game, the government have announced |
| “If an employer loses an equal pay case brought by | | | | a £350m training support plan for small businesses. |
| an individual, the employer must carry out a general | | | | Other initiatives are to follow. The £350m plan |
| equal pay audit and make the results of the audit | | | | includes:- |
| publicly available! | | | | · Funding for modules in business |
| The new law will also extend the right to request | | | | improvement, team working, customer service and risk |
| flexible working to all those with parental responsibility | | | | management |
| for children aged 16 and under. | | | | · Leadership and Management |
| On a related economic front, solicitors are warning that | | | | programmes to be made available to more |
| employers could face new difficulties because of | | | | businesses, including those with 5-10 employees |
| these changes together with the fallout from recession | | | | · A bespoke training broker line -0800 |
| and the prospect of unfair dismissal claims linked to the | | | | 015 5545- to help employers identify their training |
| rising number of unemployed. This is because the | | | | needs and direct them to the right solutions |
| recession will influence compensation awards since | | | | · A full package of other measures |
| they are payable on the basis of the time a redundant | | | | – details on 0207 215 5555-Department of |
| worker spends looking for a job. Rising unemployment | | | | Innovation, Universities and Skills. Quote reference: |
| means this period is bound to be longer. | | | | 57cyb7-Train to Gain |
| Welfare Benefit Reforms | | | | Will any of these other issues impact upon you in |
| Job search training will not only be sought by those | | | | 2009? |
| who are made redundant but also by those subject to | | | | You will have seen that 2009 will bring many changes. |
| the new forms on incapacity benefit. The benefit has | | | | There are also a range of other matters on which the |
| been abolished with a new emphasis being placed on | | | | government is consulting and/or preparing to legislate. |
| assessing claimants on the jobs they can do rather | | | | We have produced a small fact sheet on these topics. |
| than those they cannot. And later this year come | | | | Do get in touch if you would like a copy. Topics |
| further reforms on job seeker’s allowance | | | | include:- |
| claimants involving recruitment agencies and registered | | | | - New Consumer Protection System |
| charities. | | | | - Changes to Door Step Selling Laws |
| Single Equality Schemes and Impact Assessments | | | | - Helping People stay in Control of Their Money |
| The Single Equality Bill will further drive demands from | | | | - New Rules for Online Shoppers |
| the public sector for impact assessment training and | | | | - Proposals to make Tipping Fairer for Staff |
| advice on single equality action schemes across all the | | | | - Longer Maternity Leave |
| diversity strands, covering:- | | | | - Bite Sized Learning under New Vocational Training |
| · The people you employ and want to | | | | System |
| employ | | | | - Assessing Carbon Footprint for Employers |
| · The people you serve and others | | | | - Food Fraud Helpline |
| you wish to reach out to | | | | Visit our website for full details of all our supporting |
| · Your stakeholders –including those | | | | training courses and consultancy |
| in the private sector | | | | servicesqedworks.comqed. |
| We provide full training on equal pay audits, equality | | | | |