time off

Business Owners Taking Less Time off this Year

August 8, 2010 News

Almost a third of small business owners are taking less holiday this year than in previous years, according to new research from business price comparison service Make It Cheaper. The poll of 1,000 businesses found that 29% had cut down on their holiday time in 2010, with many citing financial worries and staffing problems. More than a third (35%) admitted they were anxious about finding reliable staff to cover for them, while one in five said that even when on holiday they were unable to switch off. Many small business owners appeared to recognise the health risks of not taking time off work – nearly two-thirds (59%) said they feared exhaustion and burn out from the long hours they spent running their business. Tatiana Quadrello, senior researcher at the Work Foundation, said there ... »

Fifth of UK Workforce Not Taking Time Off when Sick

Fifth of UK Workforce Not Taking Time Off when Sick

April 8, 2010 News

A fifth of UK employees will not take a day off work even when they are genuinely sick, new research has highlighted. The survey of 1,011 UK workers by hygiene firm SCA found that 19% of workers will not consider taking time off sick, while 26.2% will call in sick but are nervous about doing so. The research highlighted that the main reason staff were not taking sick days was because of their manager’s and colleagues’ reaction in the past when they were ill. “People worry about phoning in sick as they feel it can be misinterpreted as a lack of loyalty or commitment to the job,” said independent employment consultant and author of How to Get a Job You’ll Love, John Lees. “It’s important that when employees really are sick, they consider the effects ... »

Work Related Training

Training adds to Red Tape burden

September 8, 2008 News

The Government’s proposal to force businesses to consider employee requests for time off for work–related training will mean more red tape for SMEs, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has warned. The FSB has called for firms with up to 20 employees to be exempt from the regulations, which would require employers to hold formal meetings with staff seeking time off for training. Under the FSB’s proposals, these businesses would be allowed to hold informal one–on–one meetings with employees, without the need for union representation (the Government’s proposals give employees the right to be accompanied to the meeting by their trade union representative).FSB education and skills chairman Colin Willman said; “The ‘time to train’ proces... »

Working Time Regulations Guide

March 22, 2006 People

Your Guide to the Working Time Regulations This document provides guidance on the limits on working time and the entitlements provided for in the Working Time Regulations 1998 (as amended). It gives general guidance only and should not be regarded as a complete or authoritative statement of the law. Readers should be aware that there may be developments in new legislation or case law which affect the rights of workers Who’s Who A worker is: someone who has a contract of employment, or someone who is paid a regular salary or wage and works for an organisation, business or individual. Their employer normally provides the worker with work, controls when and how the work is done, supplies them with tools and other equipment, and pays tax and National Insurance contributions. This in... »