A round-up of HR-related stories in today’s newspapers.
Plans to cut the number of immigrants entering Britain will not damage the coalition Government’s hopes of a new “special” economic relationship with India, Britain’s immigration minister has claimed. According to the Telegraph, the Government is considering a number of exclusions to guarantee that top Indian firms will be able to work freely in Britain and smoothly transfer key staff to their UK offices.
Several MPs have verbally abused expenses watchdog staff, with one calling the new system an “abortion”, official documents suggest. The BBC reports that it is alleged an MP made one worker cry, later giving chocolates to apologise. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, set up after the expenses scandal, published the revelations after a Freedom of Information request.
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Employees are effectively facing dramatic pay cuts as companies battle to keep costs down amid fears of a double dip recession, the Telegraph reports. Almost 15% of employers are pushing through pay freezes, the equivalent of a pay cut once inflation is taken into account, the latest salary statistics reveal.
Investors have won enhanced powers to challenge runaway pay packets and poor management at the top of the US business world under contentious rules that make it easier for shareholders to unseat directors of Wall-Street-listed companies, reports the Guardian. The Securities and Exchange Commission voted to allow investors holding more than 3% of a company’s stock to put their own nominees for boardroom seats on election ballots sent out before AGMs.
