Students have made a record number of applications for graduate jobs this year, with almost 40% applying early to beat the rush, a new report suggests.
The number of graduate job applications reached an all-time high of 343,000 in 2010-11, up a third from the year before, the study of 17,851 students at 30 UK universities revealed.
An unprecedented 37% of finalists made job applications last September or October. In total, 59% of finalists scrambled for places by March 2011, the study by High Fliers Research found.
Click here for the full story from The Telegraph
The holiday season is in full swing so we thought it would be useful to include some general points about holidays.
How much is the holiday entitlement?
From April 2009, the rate increased to 5.6 weeks of paid annual leave per year (pro rata for part time workers). This equates to 28 days per annum for a full time worker.
Do bank holidays count towards holiday entitlement?
An employer, or a recruitment agency can include bank holidays as part of the annual entitlement. There are usually eight bank holidays a year, so this would allow a full time worker an additional 20 days holiday. 2011 and 2012 both have an additional bank holiday for the Royal wedding and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. However, where the worker works on a bank holiday, as the bank holiday has not counted as part of their holiday leave, another day of annual leave must be given so that the holiday entitlement is met.
Can I tell an employee when to take their holidays?
Yes. There are provisions within the Working Time Regulations 1998 whereby an employer can give an employee notice as to when they want them to take their annual leave. It can be advantageous to include certain provisions in your contract towards this end.
I have an employee who has said they are ill whilst on holiday leave and wish to take the time as sick leave and use their holiday at another time. Should I allow this?
Strictly speaking, yes. In light of a decision by the European Court of Justice, if an employee becomes ill during or just before a period of annual holiday, they can ask to convert the period of holiday concerned to sick leave and take the annual holiday at another time.
Does holiday accrue for employees on long-term sickness absence or are away on maternity or other family leave?
Employees on long-term sickness leave will accrue holiday whilst they are absent from work and if they are unable to take their annual holiday entitlement in the holiday year, they should be allowed to carry this over into the next holiday year. Employees on maternity leave or other types of family leave will also accrue holiday whilst they are away and must be allowed to take this holiday when they return.
The Government has announced that the National Minimum Wage for adults 21 or over will increase on 1st October 2011 from £5.93 to £6.08 per hour. This equates to an increase of 15p (an increase of 2.5%).
Vince Cable (the Business Secretary) commented that more than 890,000 of Britain’s lowest-paid workers will gain from these changes, that they are appropriate and reflect the current economic uncertainty whilst at the same time seeking to protect the lowest-paid workers in the UK.
Additionally, the minimum wage for 18 to 20 year olds will increase by 6p to £4.98 an hour. The rate for 16 to 17 year olds will rise by 4p to £3.68 an hour, while for apprentices it will go up by 10p to £2.60 an hour.
For more detailed information – click here.
UK unemployment rose by 27,000 in the three months to the end of January to 2.53 million, the highest since 1994.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the jobless rate was now 8%, the highest since 1996.
However, the ONS figures also showed that the number of people claiming jobseeker’s allowance fell by 10,200 in February to 1.45 million.
Another record high was reached in the unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds, up by 0.8% to 20.6%.
This figure, however, does include students who are looking for work.
The unemployment rate for 18-24 year olds was also at an all-time high at 18.3%.
For further information visit the BBC website.
The Default Retirement Age (DRA) is to be phased out this year, the government has confirmed.
It means employers will no longer be allowed to dismiss staff just because they have reached the age of 65.
The Department for Business said that as well as benefiting individuals, “the freedom to work for longer will provide a boost to the UK economy”.
Employers had called for the changes to be delayed for a year to allow greater legal clarity over the plans.
For more information from BBC News Click Here.
For more information from Investment Sense Click Here.
The government recently announced that it was delaying for a second time the implementation of the Bribery Act 2010 which was originally intended for October 2010, then pushed back to April 2011. It has now been delayed again as the Ministry of Justice acknowledges that it has passed its own January deadline for publication of guidance. The guidance is due for publication imminently and once published, the Bribery Act is likely to be implemented very quickly.
For more detailed information please click here.
New government legislation affecting temporary workers rights is to be introduced in October 2011. The new legislation which originated from the European Union will give temporary workers some of the same rights as comparable permanent employees after a 12 week qualifying period. This will include equal pay, holiday entitlement, bonuses (under certain conditions) and employee facilities e.g. crèche facilities canteens etc, but does not extend to pensions and company sick pay. If you would like more information please contact Steve Young on 01844-211792.
An attempt by a company to continue deducting travel expenses from minimum wage payments has been thrown out by a court.
The new rule outlaws deducting travel expenses (from minimum wage employees) and means the minimum wage must be paid in full even if other expenses are being paid out.
For the full story visit the link to the BBC website.
Don’t forget that the rate of VAT will be increasing from 17.5% to 20% from 4th January2011.
Have you set a reminder to update all your systems in the New Year?
Click here for more information
