Page 10 - Gi flipbook_May 2019

management & education news

TESCO BOSS SAYS APPRENTICESHIP apprenticeships is broken. There’s
“But the policy framework for
LEVY IS TOO INFLEXIBLE simply not enough flexibility and it’s
too open to abuse.
“Tesco wants to take on more
apprenticeships but we’re barred
from doing that cost-effectively and I
know that many other businesses are
frustrated in a similar way.”
He agreed with the National
Audit Office’s view that the levy’s
effectiveness needed to be evaluated.
Earlier this year, the NAO claimed
many organisations were using the
levy to fund “costly” Level 6 and 7
apprenticeships, preventing more
apprenticeships from being offered.
“At Tesco we can only use 20 per cent
of the money we pay in. We can’t use
the rest to train for the new skills we
need, so in effect it’s 80 per cent tax on
training. It makes no sense,” he said.

MANY BUSINESSES ARE CRITICAL OF THE LEVY
NATIONAL LIVING WAGE
THE CEO OF the UK’s largest retailer like because it is only able to draw on a INCREASE BRINGS PAY
has slammed the apprenticeship levy fraction of the money it pays in.
for being too inflexible and “open to Speaking at the British Chambers of RISE FOR 1.8 MILLION
abuse”, according to Personnel Today. Commerce annual conference, Lewis
Tesco CEO Dave Lewis said that said: “Since 2012 we’ve supported nearly
while apprenticeships have helped 10,000 apprenticeships within Tesco.
address skills gaps and offer pathways “Our apprenticeships cater for
to employment for many of its staff, the every age and more than 60 per cent
retailer has been prevented from offering of participants are women. [They’re] a
the number of apprenticeships it would vital pathway to employment.

QUARTER OF CANCER PATIENTS RECEIVE NO THE NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE WAS INTRODUCED 20 YEARS AGO

RETURN-TO-WORK SUPPORT AFTER DIAGNOSIS MILLIONS OF THE lowest paid
workers saw their wages go up in
April as the latest increase to the
cent) received no support to help them National Minimum Wage (NMW)
back to work after their diagnosis, and came into effect.
of those who did return to work, 23 per The pay rise, 20 years after the
cent did not feel well enough to be there, NMW was first introduced, saw 21
reports People Management. to 24-year-olds receive £7.70 an
The survey found that the vast hour (up from £7.38, resulting in an
THE MAJORITY OF CANCER PATIENTS WANT
TO WORK AFTER A DIAGNOSIS majority (87 per cent) felt it was additional £580 over the year for full-
important to continue working after time workers) and 18 to 20-year-olds
MANY CANCER PATIENTS are either their diagnosis, but one in 10 reported receive £6.15 per hour (up from £5.90,
not receiving the support they need to feeling the need to cover up their providing an extra £455 per year).
return to work, feel forced to hide their symptoms, like fatigue and sickness, at The national living wage, an
symptoms or are being pressured into work. obligatory minimum wage payable
returning to work before they are ready, Ghazala Anjam, Team Leader of to workers 25 and over introduced in
a leading cancer charity has said. Macmillan’s Work Support Service, said 2016, has also risen by almost five per
A survey of workers with cancer it was crucial employers understand cent to £8.21 per hour, up from £7.83.
diagnoses, carried out by Macmillan their legal obligations to employees with The government estimates 1.8
Cancer Support, found one in 10 felt cancer under the Equality Act, that they million people are on the national
pressured into returning to work consider what reasonable adjustments living wage and will benefit from
before they were ready. their employees may need to stay in the increase, with another 300,000
Of the 1,500 workers surveyed by work, and that they had appropriate seeing an increase in the NMW,
the charity, more than a quarter (27 per policies and processes in place. according to People Management.

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News.indd 5 16/04/2019 19:34