Employers should note that, while the rules for employing Bulgarians and Romanians have relaxed since January 1, other migrant document checks and penalties have been tightened.
Happy New Law!
As ever at the start of a new year, a number of laws changed on January 1st, including measures to protect free speech and some aimed at preventing wasting the time of the courts and the emergency services.
All Phone Chargers to be Standard Under New Law
MEPs and the Council of Europe agreed last month (December) that mobile phone manufacturers will be obliged to provide a common battery charger throughout Europe as part of a provisional deal on radio equipment.
Apology Over Muslim Employee Alcohol Refusal
Marks & Spencer has apologised after an “extremely apologetic” Muslim member of staff at one of its London stores refused to serve a customer who was trying to buy a bottle of champagne.
Consultation Into Zero-Hours Contracts
At the launch of a 12-week consultation into zero-hours contracts this week, the Business Secretary Vince Cable said he has ruled out a complete ban on them, saying that they offer employers “welcome flexibility”.