The latest news from TeamHR
The latest HR and employment news from TeamHR. Breaking news stories are added every week to help keep you and your business up to date with the latest breaking news in employment, employment law, personnel management and HR.
Immigrant Workers - changes from 29th Feb 2008
Major changes are being introduced, from 29th February 2008, into all aspects of Business Immigration. If you are considering, or do from time to time seek a work permit for a potential worker make sure you know about the changes.
The changes arise from the introduction of Civil Penalties for illegal workers with effect from 29th February 2008.
In addition to this, a new Points Based System is being introduced on a roll out process by the Home Office and this will affect 80 current work and study immigration categories. The new points based system will be based on a five tier structure. It is thought that this new system will have significant impact on any companies proposing to make new work permit applications and/or extension applications. They will now need to apply to be licensed as a sponsor and have various ongoing obligations in order to maintain their licence.
Highly Skilled Migrants are covered within Tier 1 of the new points based system, and the time scale for implementation is likely to be March 2008. Tier 2, which incorporates a very significantly modified version of the existing Work Permit Scheme (to include an English language requirement and electronic certificates of sponsorship issued by the licensed UK companies), is likely to be implemented during autumn 2008.
Further details http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/
UK and Eire Bank Holiday Dates 2008 and 2009
Employers need to be aware that bank holiday entitlement varies between the countries of the United Kingdom. In England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland there is no entitlement time off (*1) or to payment at the basic rate for public/bank holidays UNLESS the contract of employment provides for time and/or payment at the basic rate of pay.
(*1) There are special rules for shop-workers in England and Wales who work in large shops (over 280 square feet). If someone works in one of these shops, they must be given Christmas Day off, regardless of which day it falls on. However, whether or not the person will be paid at the basic rate of pay will depend on what their contract of employment says.
At present there is a statutory entitlement of 24 days holiday per annum, and this may include any entitlement under the contract of employment to paid time off on, or in lieu of, bank/public holidays. From April 2009 this entitlement will increase to 28 days per annum, and again this entitlement may include any entitlement under the contract of employment to paid time off on, or in lieu of, bank/public holidays.
The expected dates of bank and public holidays in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are shown below for the years 2008 and 2009.
For those employers also employing staff in Eire, where the bank public holidays differ slightly, these are shown below also.
| Country | Description of day | Date 2008 | Date 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and Eire | New Year's Day | 1 Jan | 1 Jan |
| Scotland | 2nd January | 2 Jan | 2 Jan |
| Northern Ireland and Eire | St Patrick's Day | 15 Mar | 17 Mar |
| England, Northern Ireland Scotland and Wales (not Eire) | Good Friday Bank Holiday | 21 Mar | 10 Apr |
| Eire | Easter Sunday | 23 Mar | 12 Apr |
| England, Northern Ireland and Wales (not Scotland) | Easter Monday Bank Holiday | 24 Mar | 13 Apr |
| England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and Eire | Early May Bank Holiday (First Monday in May) | 5 May | 4 May |
| England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and Eire | Spring Bank Holiday (Last Monday in May) | 26 May | 25 May |
| Northern Ireland | Battle of the Boyne (Orangemen's Day) | 14 July | 13 July |
| Scotland and Eire | Early Summer Bank Holiday (First Monday in August) | 4 Aug | 3 Aug |
| England and Wales | Summer Bank Holiday (Last Monday in August) | 25 Aug | 31 Aug |
| Northern Ireland and Eire | October Bank Holiday | 29 Oct | 26 Oct |
| Scotland | St Andrew's Day, 30 November or the next Monday if a weekend | 1 Dec | 30 Nov |
| England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales | Christmas Day, Bank Holiday | 25 Dec | 25 Dec |
| England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales | Boxing Day, Bank Holiday | 26 Dec | 28 (*2) Dec |
(*2) Substitute Bank Holiday in lieu of 25th Dec because 25th falls at the weekend
You can find information about bank / public holiday dates in other countries at the following sites:
England, Wales and Northern Ireland http://www.dti.gov.uk/employment/bank-public-holidays/
Scotland: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/01/bankholidays/
World-wide: http://www.bank-holidays.com/
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