by Les Oldridge,,TEng (CE!), MIMI, AMIRTE
Page 49
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When you
must pay up!
THE Employment Protection Act requires an employer who lays off a worker for a full day because he cannot find work for him to do, to pay him his normal wage, limited to a maximum of £6 per day. Pay must be guaranteed in this way for five days in any one calendar quarter.
Where there is no work because of action involving other employees of the same firm or employees of an associated .employer then this payment need not be made The Act lays down that an official of a recognised trade union is entitled to reasonable paid time off: (a) To carry out duties as a union official concerned with industrial relations between his employer or associated employer and the employees (b) To undergo training in industrial relations relevant to his duties which have been approved by the T.U.C. or by an independent trade union of which he is an official.
Employees who are members of recognised. independent trade unions are entitled to reasonable time off in working hours to take part in union activities, other than industrial action.
Employees who are one of the following are entitled to time off without pay to carry out their duties: Justice of the Peace. member of a local authority, member of an statutory tribunal, member of a regional health authority, member of the governing body of an educational establishment maintained by a local authority or a member of a water authority.
One suspects that this time off is unpaid because persons engaged in these sort of activities can claim expenses which probably included loss of earnings. The time off must be reasonable having regard to the time needed to carry out such duties, how much time has already been taken off for trade union activities and the effect on the employer's business of the employee's absence An employee who is made redundant is entitled to reasonable paid time off to, look for work, or to arrange training for a • new job.
Employers are now required to give their employees itemised statements of their pay contain the following particulars: (a) gross amount of wages salary (b) net amount of wages or sa (c) variable deductions (d) fixed reductions.
Fixed reductions need not given every pay day if employee is given a statemen fixed reductions every twi months. If any employee does receive an itemised pay stater. or if it does not comply with Act the employee can refer matter to an industrial tribuna The Advisory, Conciliation ; Arbitration Service (ACAS) is up on a statutory basis under Act. It has the general duty giving advice and provid conciliation and arbitration vices. It can conduct inquiries i industrial matters and publish findings. It will also pub (subject to Parliamentary ajo val) codes of practice on indust relations which will replace current Code of Industrial Ri tions Practice.
The Central Arbitration Cc mittee (CAC) is also set up un the Act. ACAS may refer dispu to CAC for arbitration if parties concerned agree.