With delivery company Hermes offering 15,000 drivers an opportunity to sign up to a new ‘self-employment plus’ contract, the IPSE has warned that this is not a new deal for the self-employed.
The contract would entitle such workers to benefits such as holiday pay, union representation and guaranteed earnings above the National Living Wage.
However, the IPSE warns that creating this ‘self-employment plus’ status could create even more confusion when it comes to IR35, distorting the understanding of what genuine self-employment is.
Latest statistics show that January saw a significant rise in available job roles, however, skill shortages still remain a concern for many businesses across the UK.
The report, carried out by CV-Library, revealed that advertised vacancies grew by 63.8% last month. Applications also saw a rise, increasing by as much as 79% compared to December 2018 data.
A new survey focusing on careers has revealed that just five per cent of Brits are currently in their dream job.
The recent study compiled by The Institute for Optimum Nutrition found that despite this dire figure, anxieties of financial uncertainty, the embarrassment of being at the bottom of the career ladder and the fear of unsupportive family and friends deters people from seeking new employment.
Interestingly, a fifth of people were concerned that an age barrier may impact their likelihood of securing a new job and 10% said they didn’t have the confidence to job hunt.
Tax payers are being warned of the latest HMRC scam that has emails being sent to people claiming that they are entitled to a tax refund.
During a similar scam in May last year, Treasury Minister Mel Stride MP gave the following advice, “HMRC only informs you about tax refunds through the post or through your pay via your employer. All emails, text messages, or voicemail messages saying you have a tax refund are a scam. Do not click on any links in these messages, and forward them to HMRC’s phishing email address and phone number.
The government is making plans to boost protection for pregnant women and new parents returning to work.
The consultation, launched at the end of January, proposes that the legal protection against redundancy for pregnant women and new mothers on maternity leave is extended so that it continues for up to six months after they return to work. It will also seek views on affording the same protection to parents returning from adoption leave or shared parental leave.
A new survey has revealed that employers are planning to increase hiring over the next 12 months.
The CV-Library report found that of the 300 hiring professionals surveyed, 72% are looking to increase their hiring efforts, however, as many as 84% admitted that a lack of talent is an issue.
Other key challenges cited include targeting passive candidates (41%), not having enough time to search CVs (24%), lack of resource (18%) and lack of time to screen candidates (12%).
Fifty-five per cent of employers said building talent pools for the future was a key focus.
Latest labour market statistics published by the ONS reveals a low employment rate, however, the number of temporary workers in the UK saw a slight fall.
According to the figures, the number of temporary workers decreased by 2.55% - there are now a total of 5.5% in temporary employment, down from 5.7% compared to the previous year.
More job roles are being created within the hospitality sector due to an increase in the number of people following a vegan diet.
The report, carried out by the UK’s largest hospitality job board Caterer.com, found that the industry is seeing a significant rise in vegan-specific roles.
According to the findings, vegan related jobs within the sector increased by more than 123% since 2017, with an additional 300 jobs advertised across the UK.
A new report has revealed the top industries where people are most likely to feel stress in the workplace.
The CV-Library report surveyed 1,100 workers to determine the causes behind workplace stress and the industries that experience it the most.
The top industries include:
-Social care (86.4%)
- Recruitment (81.8%)
- Sales (79.2%)
- Accounting (76.7%)
- Construction (76%)
- Marketing (73.7%)
- IT (70%)
- Legal (70%)
- Design (69.2%)
- Manufacturing (68.6%)
Positive news for the self-employed, as recent ONS data has shown that inflation fell from 2.3 per cent in November to 2.1 per cent in December.
These figures have been welcomed by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE), but they warn that further Brexit uncertainty after the government’s defeat could harm the self-employed.
