Our Employment Update is aimed at providing local businesses with a practical round-up on new employment laws and topical issues. For specific advice on any of the below issues please contact Donna Purchase in our Employment Team by clicking here.

Last week’s snow fall cost the Welsh economy in the region of £58 million, the Federation of Small Businesses has estimated. Almost 300,000 employees failed to make it into work - a quarter of the 1.5 million workforce in Wales. Many employers will be considering what they do about those employees who did not make it into work, or who left work early without permission. Read more for details of the options available. Click here to read more. 

The long-awaited European Court of Justice (ECJ) decision on holiday pay for long-term sick workers has finally been made and is not happy news for employers. Essentially, the ECJ has concluded that statutory holiday accrues during sick leave. Where an employee is unable to take it during the holiday year, it may be carried over to a subsequent leave year or a payment must be made in lieu on termination. Read more for details of how this impacts on employers and recommended action points. 

In recent months, unions have been campaigning hard to cut down the number of foreign workers getting jobs in Britain, and union activity has been seen at a number of power plants and refineries. The Home Secretary is now changing the rules to force thousands of jobs, including hotel management and other “skilled migrant” jobs, to be advertised in Jobcentre Plus before they can be advertised overseas. Companies that break the new rules could have their licence to employ non-EU migrants revoked and face fines of up to £10,000 for each illegal employee on their staff. Click here to read more.

The Government is considering naming and shaming businesses in league tables revealing pay inequalities between men and women. The amendment to the Equality Bill will force businesses to publish figures in annual accounts showing the number of men and women in particular pay bands. Click here to read more.

Unemployment will soar above 3 million as Britain's manufacturers, retailers and service industries feel the full effects of the downturn, according to the British Chambers of Commerce, which said economic output is set to fall this year by more than in the last recession of the 1990s.  Click here to read more.

The recession is affecting businesses of all sizes, but small and medium sized businesses are feeling the pain more than most. According to the CBI, small and medium-sized manufacturing companies are shedding staff at the fastest rate since the early 1990s – and conditions are expected to get worse yet. However, employers should be wary of rushing into redundancies. Making redundancies hastily during the recession may cost businesses in the long term. Click here to read more.