http://www.personneltoday.com/en-gbFri, 18 Jul 2008 16:04:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46784/friday-podcast-hr-requirements-for-public-sector-contracts-the-rec-on-sex-discrimination-and-sharon-coleman-discrimination-by-association.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46784/friday-podcast-hr-requirements-for-public-sector-contracts-the-rec-on-sex-discrimination-and-sharon-coleman-discrimination-by-association.html HR news and analysis including: why some employers are disillusioned by the latest duties imposed on them when bidding for government contracts, including that they must publish diversity stats and enable staff the Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:04:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46768/childbearing-age-women-screened-out-by-recruitment-agencies.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46768/childbearing-age-women-screened-out-by-recruitment-agencies.html Employers are flouting the law by asking recruitment agencies to screen out women of childbearing age, and it is up to agencies to stop the practice, according to the new head of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46782/number-of-women-in-top-senior-civil-service-posts-continues-to-fall.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46782/number-of-women-in-top-senior-civil-service-posts-continues-to-fall.html The number of women in top management posts in the senior Civil Service has fallen for the past three years, despite government diversity targets being set four years ago. The Civil Service Commissioners Annual ReFri, 18 Jul 2008 11:59:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46772/hr-directors-targeted-as-computer-hackers-seek-staff-data.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46772/hr-directors-targeted-as-computer-hackers-seek-staff-data.html A security analyst has warned HR directors they are "under threat" from computer hackers hunting for employee data, after unearthing a huge operation. Anti-virus software giant McAfee discovered <A hrFri, 18 Jul 2008 11:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46770/equal-pay-ruling-may-trigger-class-actions-against-private-employers.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46770/equal-pay-ruling-may-trigger-class-actions-against-private-employers.html Private sector employers could face an equal pay headache following a landmark Court of Appeal decision, legal experts have warned. The court ruled that the <A href="http://www.personneltoday.com/artFri, 18 Jul 2008 10:20:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46764/relocating-employer-foots-the-bill-for-travel-costs-in-bid-to-keep-staff.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46764/relocating-employer-foots-the-bill-for-travel-costs-in-bid-to-keep-staff.html Relocating software firm Strategic Thought is upgrading its employees' home broadband and paying their travel costs in a bid to keep them, its HR director has told Personnel Today. Adrian Farley said the company waFri, 18 Jul 2008 10:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46766/government-departments-making-good-progress-in-reforming-work-practices.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46766/government-departments-making-good-progress-in-reforming-work-practices.html Three major government departments are making good progress in building their capabilities and leadership skills after reviews of how they operate were published. The Cabinet Office unveiled the first <A href="http://www.cFri, 18 Jul 2008 09:37:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46765/skills-gaps-need-to-be-identified-by-employers-for-funding-to-have-impact.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46765/skills-gaps-need-to-be-identified-by-employers-for-funding-to-have-impact.html The chairman of retailer John Lewis has called on employers to clearly define their skills shortages so they can get the most out of government funding. <A href="http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/Display.aspx?MasterId=Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:31:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46767/facial-discrimination-campaign-taken-up-by-barclays.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46767/facial-discrimination-campaign-taken-up-by-barclays.html Barclays is the first company to sign up to a new campaign that aims to raise awareness of 'facial discrimination'. Despite legal protections provided to people with disfigurements under the <A href="http://www.direct.gov.Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:02:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46763/mcdonalds-hr-chief-to-continue-spending-on-staff-despite-economic-downturn.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46763/mcdonalds-hr-chief-to-continue-spending-on-staff-despite-economic-downturn.html McDonald's UK HR chief David Fairhurst has pledged to continue spending to help the fast-food chain cope with the economic downturn. Many organisations are <A href="http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/07/14/46693/hFri, 18 Jul 2008 08:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46761/hr-chiefs-to-battle-it-out-on-river-wear-to-raise-cash-for-cancer-charities.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/18/46761/hr-chiefs-to-battle-it-out-on-river-wear-to-raise-cash-for-cancer-charities.html Two heads of HR are set to do battle tomorrow (Saturday) in a charity dragon boat race on the River Wear. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:45:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46760/internal-senior-civil-service-appointees-shortchanged-on-pay.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46760/internal-senior-civil-service-appointees-shortchanged-on-pay.html Internal candidates for top Civil Service jobs are still being paid less than the advertised rate, a leading official has warned. <A href="http://www.cscannualreport.info/Meet_the_Commissioners/commissioner,a931c7bf0d7.htmThu, 17 Jul 2008 13:42:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46758/government-aims-to-offset-100-of-ict-carbon-emissions-by-2012.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46758/government-aims-to-offset-100-of-ict-carbon-emissions-by-2012.html The government has announced plans to slash the carbon footprint of its computer systems. Information and communications technoThu, 17 Jul 2008 12:58:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46759/discrimination-carer-sharon-coleman-wins-european-case.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46759/discrimination-carer-sharon-coleman-wins-european-case.html A landmark decision in the high-profile Sharon Coleman case has paved the way for thousands of 'discrimination by association' claims by able-bodied people under the Disability Discrimination Act. The European Court of JustThu, 17 Jul 2008 12:52:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46753/private-health-cover-costs-could-rocket-by-60-in-next-five-years.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46753/private-health-cover-costs-could-rocket-by-60-in-next-five-years.html Employers have been warned that the cost of providing medical benefits to staff could rise by 60% by 2013. Rising costs, rising concerns: Medical Inflation, published by Mercer HR Consulting, found the cost of providThu, 17 Jul 2008 09:42:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46752/recruitment-market-buoyant-despite-job-cuts-leaving-more-workers-high-and-dry.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46752/recruitment-market-buoyant-despite-job-cuts-leaving-more-workers-high-and-dry.html The UK jobs market continues to be in good health despite a rise in unemployment, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has insisted. FigureThu, 17 Jul 2008 09:29:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46754/equal-pay-ruling-at-court-of-appeal-could-cost-unions-millions.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46754/equal-pay-ruling-at-court-of-appeal-could-cost-unions-millions.html Public sector unions could be forced to pay millions in compensation after the Court of Appeal ruled that the GMB discriminated against its female members in equal pay negotiations with a council. As a result of <A href="Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:24:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46751/trade-union-recognition-applications-stagnate.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46751/trade-union-recognition-applications-stagnate.html The Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) received 64 applications for trade union recognition in the year ending 31 March 2008, according to <A href="http://www.cac.gov.uk/cac_2_annual_report/Final%20CAC%20Annual%20Report%2007-08.Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:30:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46748/hsmp-climbdown-by-uk-government-welcomed-by-campaigners.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/17/46748/hsmp-climbdown-by-uk-government-welcomed-by-campaigners.html Campaigners have celebrated the government's climbdown on its controversial changes to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP). The Home Office this month published a policy document implementing the High Court's rulingThu, 17 Jul 2008 07:00:00 GMThttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/16/46747/draft-apprenticeship-bill-published-to-encourage-more-employers-to-offer-apprenticeships.htmlhttp://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2008/07/16/46747/draft-apprenticeship-bill-published-to-encourage-more-employers-to-offer-apprenticeships.html A draft Apprenticeship Bill has been published to encourage the number of employers offering apprenticeships in the workplace. Speaking exclusively to Personnel Today, skills secretary John Denham said he wants to Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:29:00 GMT