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10th May 2007

NEWS IN BRIEF

ACAS GENDER EQUALITY SCHEME

Acas (the Government’s Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) has published its Gender Equality Scheme which is now available online. 

To read the scheme, go to: www.acas.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1249

NEW GUIDES FROM ACAS

Smoking at work

Acas has produced a guide on drawing up a policy on smoking at work in anticipation of the smoking ban coming into effect in England on 1 July 2007. A similar ban became effective on 2 April in Wales and Scotland has been non-smoking since 2006.

The guide recommends setting up a task group of representatives from management and both smoking and non-smoking workers to explore policy options for implementing a smoking ban and a likely timetable. It also provides a checklist of items to consider when drawing up a policy on smoking at work.

To download the guide, go to: www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=696

Redundancy payments

Acas has also put together a booklet on drawing up redundancy agreements. The aim is to provide guidance for employers, trade unions and employee representatives on how best to handle redundancies.

It emphasises the importance of planning labour requirements to avoid or to minimise the need for redundancies; the benefits of establishing an agreed procedure for handling redundancies; and the need for fairness and objectivity when selecting members of the workforce for redundancy

To download a copy of the guide, go to:
http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=773&submit=Previous

Also this week

Victimising the Victims

Dominant Worker