This month’s Employers Law news in brief
HSE calls for heftier fines for safety breaches
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has called on the judicial system to
increase the amount employers are fined for breaking safety laws. Timothy
Walker, the body’s director general, said the fines doled out by the courts
were still too low to be an effective deterrent. The HSE’s annual report found
the average fine for health and safety cases fell by 21 per cent in the past
year.
National employment rules on website
The Government has launched a website to help employers understand national
employment rules and regulations. The website will provide employers with a
single source of information on legislation as well as guidance on employment
law. A survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and law
firm Hammonds found a worrying number of firms had little knowledge of
regulations, especially those coming from Europe. www.dft.gov.uk
