Legislation/Regulation

APSCo briefs House of Lords on more amendments to Employment Rights Bill

Trade body APSCo has warned Peers of urgent amendments needed to the Employment Rights Bill, which must be addressed before it reaches Royal Assent.

30 April 2025

Businesses need to be patient for OPW rules to change

Small businesses will need to wait a few more years before being relinquished of their off-payroll working obligations.

14 April 2025

Californian master plan calls for new statewide collaborative to align education, training and hiring needs

In the US, the state of California is proposing to launch digital career passports for the labour market.

Zero-hours contracts must be ‘transparent and consistent’ says REC’s Shoesmith

Government must ensure that “transparency and consistency” exist around zero-hours contracts that workers can request.

Public sector, Social care 1 April 2025

Recruitment industry experts reacts to Chancellor’s Spring Statement

The terms of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Spring Statement found no universal agreement as to potential positives in store for either the UK economy or the UK workforce.

27 March 2025

Trump 2.0 starts reshaping recruitment in the US

The new Trump administration is shaping recruitment trends that will be felt not only in the US but globally.

Legal 24 March 2025

Recruitment industry leaders speak out about amends to Employment Rights Bill

Leaders in the recruitment industry have spoken about the proposed reforms in the Employment Rights Bill.

6 March 2025

Government unveils amendments to Employment Rights Bill

The government yesterday [4 March 2025] put forward amendments to the Employment Rights Bill.

HR 5 March 2025

Recruiters among employers fined by Home Office for illegal work

Recruitment agencies and platforms were among the UK employers that have received fines for illegal work between 1 July to 30 September 2024.

5 March 2025

FCSA investigates member JSA over allegations of withholding holiday pay

The Freelancer and Contractor Services Association (FCSA) is investigating allegations that one of the largest umbrella companies inappropriately withheld a contractor’s holiday pay. 

16 March 2022

Jobseeker banned from employment tribunals for ‘vexatious’ claims

A jobseeker who was a serial claimant has been handed indefinite prohibition after bringing cases “without any reasonable grounds” following job application rejections over an eight-year period.

16 March 2022

REC highlights concerns in letter to government ahead of Spring Budget

The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) has written to the government listing its concerns in advance of the upcoming Spring Budget.

Calls for government to scrap next month’s NIC increase

MPs this week accepted a non-binding motion calling on the government to scrap the National Insurance Contribution increase, due to come in next month, online news service inews.co.uk has reported.

10 March 2022

APSCo calls for Employment Bill changes to be announced in Queen’s Speech

With the pandemic delaying the announcement of legislative changes under the Employment Bill, the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has called on the UK Government to ensure that this is announced in this year’s Queen’s Speech.

3 March 2022

Lords’ Sub-committee urges finance minister to take ‘coherent approach’ to employment status

The government must take “a coherent approach” to employment status if it is “truly committed” to fairness in the workplace.

10 February 2022

‘Opportunities’ for to HMRC to improve on IR35 customer experience

HM Revenue & Customs has an opportunity to improve its customer experience and compliance in putting IR35 reforms into practice.

10 February 2022

Man pleads guilty to slavery and trafficking offences in Cumbria

A man has admitted exploiting a vulnerable worker who lived in a six-foot shed on a caravan park for 40 years, the Gangmasters & Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) has reported.

Good news for digital RTW checks but added costs mean bad news for recruiters

Recruitment industry leaders are welcoming the Home Office’s announcement that a permanent system of digital right to work (RTW) checks will be put into place from 6 April 2022.

Sport & leisure industry demand help to retain jobs, improve nation’s health

The hospitality sector is not the only one where businesses need financial support to withstand the economic, health and well-being and social fallout of Covid-19 over the festive season.

Hospitality/Leisure 22 December 2021

APSCo welcomes digital trade deal with Singapore

The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo) has welcomed the recent announcement that the UK has reached an agreement in principle with Singapore, in what is being coined the “world’s most comprehensive digital trade deal”.

Industry unimpressed with government and HMRC’s answers over CEST

The controversial Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool was designed to give a clear determination in 80% of cases, the House of Lords Finance Bill sub-committee heard from Treasury and HM Revenue & Customs yesterday (13 December 2021).

14 December 2021

Recruiters on government’s NMW named and shamed list

Over 200 employers this week were named and shamed by government for failing to pay their lowest paid staff the minimum wage.

ARC asks Chancellor to reinstate VAT concession for staffing agencies

The Association of Recruitment Consultancies (ARC) has this week sent a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposing the reinstatement of the VAT Staff Hire Concession.

Public sector, Social care 10 December 2021

Chairman of Brewster Partners quits following media investigation

The non-executive chairman of a South Yorkshire recruitment agency has quit after a media investigation revealed it was reported to HM Revenue & Customs over allegations of furlough fraud, The Times newspaper has reported.

Government ‘call for evidence’ on role of umbrella companies

The government has called this week for evidence on the role that umbrella companies play in the market, and how they interact with the tax and employment rights systems.

1 December 2021
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