http://www.personneltoday.com/en-gbTue, 14 Oct 2008 15:56:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47926/rapid-response-support-unit-launched-for-local-authorities.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47926/rapid-response-support-unit-launched-for-local-authorities.html A new "rapid response" unit has been unveiled to provide support to local authorities facing severe short-term difficulties following the failures of Icelandic banks. The unit, a joint creation by theTue, 14 Oct 2008 15:56:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47925/gp-surgeries-embrace-flexible-hours-and-help-government-hit-target.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47925/gp-surgeries-embrace-flexible-hours-and-help-government-hit-target.html More than half of GP surgeries now offer extended hours for medical check-ups. Statistics from the Department of Health found that in the past six months there had been a 40% increase in the number ofTue, 14 Oct 2008 15:47:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47918/pizza-hut-targets-generation-y-for-recruitment-needs.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47918/pizza-hut-targets-generation-y-for-recruitment-needs.html The food chain formerly known as Pizza Hut will revamp its recruitment site to help attract more Generation Y</Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:59:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47919/bonus-growth-rates-halved-in-past-year.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47919/bonus-growth-rates-halved-in-past-year.html The rate of growth in bonuses has halved in the last 12 months, research has shown. The Economic Labour Market Review by the OffiTue, 14 Oct 2008 11:57:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47917/economic-downturn-fails-to-dampen-enthusiasm-of-uks-risk-taking-bosses.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47917/economic-downturn-fails-to-dampen-enthusiasm-of-uks-risk-taking-bosses.html Senior UK executives are unfazed by the economic downturn and believe working as usual and focusing on training will steer them through unharmed, a survey has found. A survey by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) of 1Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:05:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47916/low-pay-commission-interim-chair-appointed.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47916/low-pay-commission-interim-chair-appointed.html The government has appointed Sir George Bain as the interim chair of the Low Pay Commission, the body which advises on the rate of the <A href="http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/employment/pay/national-minimum-wage/indexTue, 14 Oct 2008 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47878/met-hr-chief-admits-force-has-long-way-to-go-on-diversity.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47878/met-hr-chief-admits-force-has-long-way-to-go-on-diversity.html Met Police HR director Martin Tiplady has admitted the under-fire force is "light years away" from achieving proportionate levels of black or Asian officers in senior ranks. But he said the <A href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47915/staff-fail-to-receive-employment-tribunal-awards.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47915/staff-fail-to-receive-employment-tribunal-awards.html More than 1,000 workers each year fail to receive money awarded to them by employment tribunals, according to a report out today. Charity Citizens Advice published its <A href="http://www.citizensadvTue, 14 Oct 2008 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47881/legal-qa-preparing-for-a-tribunal.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/14/47881/legal-qa-preparing-for-a-tribunal.html Dealing with a staff dispute can be trying, but what if it goes all the way to tribunal? Senior HR staff will be anxious to ensure they do everything they can to help their employer win, but what should this entail? Is it really a matter oTue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47905/university-graduate-takes-51-interviews-to-get-a-job.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47905/university-graduate-takes-51-interviews-to-get-a-job.html An unlucky university graduate has finally secured a job – on her 51st interview. Holly Stagg left Sussex University with a 2:1 before attending 50 interviews with no success. The Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:22:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47904/tuc-calls-for-bonus-review-at-bailed-out-banks.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47904/tuc-calls-for-bonus-review-at-bailed-out-banks.html The TUC has called for a "wholesale review" of bonuses at the banks given a £37bn injection of taxpayers' cash today. The government this morning announced a package that will see taxpayers take a 60%Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:06:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47900/disability-forum-welcomes-plans-to-help-mentally-ill-at-work.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47900/disability-forum-welcomes-plans-to-help-mentally-ill-at-work.html The Employers' Forum on Disability (EFD) has welcomed government plans to help people with mental health problems stay in work. Work and pensions secretary James Purnell last week announced an increasMon, 13 Oct 2008 11:53:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47899/bonus-ban-for-board-members-at-bailed-out-banks.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47899/bonus-ban-for-board-members-at-bailed-out-banks.html Chancellor Alistair Darling has banned senior board members at the banks bailed out this morning from receiving bonuses this year. <P alMon, 13 Oct 2008 10:54:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47898/icelandic-banking-crisis-could-mean-no-wages-for-uk-council-staff.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47898/icelandic-banking-crisis-could-mean-no-wages-for-uk-council-staff.html Several councils could be unable to pay their staff at the end of this month, it was reported yesterday. A significant number of local authorities relied on cash tied up in the doomed Icelandic banking system to pay wages, Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:28:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47873/lammy-warns-employers-that-skills-tax-could-resurface.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47873/lammy-warns-employers-that-skills-tax-could-resurface.html David Lammy signed off as skills minister last week with a warning to employers that they could yet be slapped with a skills tax. Lammy, who was promotMon, 13 Oct 2008 08:12:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47874/migrant-sponsor-registration-shortfall-not-a-problem-says-home-office.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47874/migrant-sponsor-registration-shortfall-not-a-problem-says-home-office.html A senior Home Office immigration figure has told employers not to panic about the points-based system going live across the UK next month. By the end of November, Tiers 2 and 5Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47876/bonus-bonanza-comes-to-end-as-employers-get-green-light-to-curb-city-excesses.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47876/bonus-bonanza-comes-to-end-as-employers-get-green-light-to-curb-city-excesses.html City employers have been given the green light by legal experts to slash banker bonuses in the wake of the £50bn government bailout. On announcing the high-stakes rescue package, chaMon, 13 Oct 2008 06:28:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47879/women-and-ethnic-minorities-to-be-fast-tracked-to-top-at-npia.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/13/47879/women-and-ethnic-minorities-to-be-fast-tracked-to-top-at-npia.html A national development scheme for high-potential police officers will be launched this week by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) to help speed up promotion opportunities for all staff. EMon, 13 Oct 2008 00:01:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/10/47882/weekly-dilemmaalcoholics-in-the-workplace.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/10/47882/weekly-dilemmaalcoholics-in-the-workplace.html As HR director of a newspaper publishing group I'm dealing with the case of a long-serving employee who is clearly an alcoholic and whose behaviour and language is upsetting some of his colleagues, although most don't seem to mind. I'd likFri, 10 Oct 2008 17:55:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/10/47883/case-of-the-week-well-drafted-contract-is-key-to-holiday-dispute.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/10/10/47883/case-of-the-week-well-drafted-contract-is-key-to-holiday-dispute.html Industrial Commercial Maintenance Ltd v Mr A M Briffa FACTS The claimant, Briffa, was employed by Industrial Commercial MaintenancFri, 10 Oct 2008 17:51:00 GMT