When a receptionist was sent home from PricewaterhouseCoopers for declining to wear high heels, more than 150,000 people signed a petition calling on the Government to make it illegal for employers to require staff to wear high heels. Dress codes at work can be an emotive issue – but where does the boundary lie between legitimate concerns such as safety at work or the maintenance of corporate identity on the one hand and overt sexism on the other? One might expect there to be clear water between these extremes, but when you read that Aeroflot... Continue reading

The recent trend of ‘gig’ economy cases involving companies including Uber, Pimlico Plumbers and the pending Deliveroo case have brought employment status and employment rights into the public eye. These cases have highlighted the importance of correctly identifying an individual’s employment status from the outset because this determines what employment rights individuals may be entitled to. Recent decisions clearly demonstrate that Employment Tribunals will closely consider the reality of a working arrangement and not simply accept wha... Continue reading

Since our eLearning awards success in 2011, International Workplace has seen an acceleration in both the number of online courses in its portfolio, as well as the development of an increasingly sophisticated learning management system (LMS) and learning records system (LRS) to deliver accurate, granular, real-time reporting for our busy clients. We now offer more than 20 courses and qualifications in eLearning format, spanning health and safety, environmental management and human resources, accessible via smartphones, tablets, laptops and PCs. ... Continue reading

In the Spending review and autumn statement of 2015, the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed that an apprenticeship levy would be imposed on all large employers in all industry sectors, for the purpose of raising money to meet the cost of apprenticeship training. From 6 April 2017, all employers with an annual wage bill of more than £3m will be required to pay this apprenticeship levy. The levy will be charged at 0.5% of the amount by which the wage bill exceeds £3m. Employers will receive an allowance of £15,000 to offset against the pay... Continue reading

Among the ever-changing landscape of the UK’s labour market, one constant element has transcended the decades – the problem of the gender pay gap. This ‘gap’ refers to the difference between women’s and men’s average weekly full-time earnings, expressed as a percentage. It is a global problem that demonstrates the disparity between the earnings of both genders. For example, it is estimated in the Asia Pacific region that women will earn 41.2% less than men by 2030. In China alone, women earned 40.7% less than their male counterpart... Continue reading