Employing People

Employing Staff - A Guide to Regulatory Requirements
If you are intending to employ staff you will need to be aware of the regulations relating to taking on an employee. This guide from the DTI is designed to help business be aware of these requirements and to minimise the problems of finding out how to comply with them. Topics covered are Equal Opportunities, Employee Rights, Pay and Tax, Hours, Health and Safety, National Insurance, Statutory Sick Pay and Statutory Maternity Pay.

Business Link: Employment Rights Factsheets
A series of Employment Rights Factsheets and FAQs, produced by the Small Business Service, can be accessed from this page.

New Employer's Helpline
A New Employer's Helpline is available to guide employers who are employing someone for the first time. The helpline is open from Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm on 0845 607 0143. Callers will be sent a New Employers Starter Pack. The Employer's Helpline offers advice to all employers on PAYE, and National Insurance, tax credits and the collection of student loans 0845 714 3143.

If you need more detailed legal information on employment rights see our page on Employment Law

YourPeopleManager.com
A useful website.

Tax: Inland Revenue
Before your new staff members begin working, ask your tax office to send you a leaflet explaining the basics of taking someone on. This will give you information about PAYE and National Insurance contributions. Alternatively, choose Employers Information on the website. Here you will find information that will help you work out and deduct tax and National Insurance Contributions (NIC). By using the tabs on the left-hand side of the planner, you will be able to see important events that you need to know each month.

National Insurance
If you're starting your own business you'll have to make new arrangements for paying National Insurance, which can seem a complicated procedure if you're used to having it done for you. And if you already run a business but need to take on staff, you'll have to make additional provisions for employees.

Employers Liability Insurance
If you have employees then you must take out Employers Liability Insurance, and display the certificate where your employees can see it.

Managing Sickness Absence
A useful website for information about how to deal with short-term sickness absenteeism.

Work and Parents
Useful page from the DTI summarising all the latest legislation and Budget proposals for increases in maternity pay, parental leave, adoption leave, paternity pay etc.

Maternity Leave and Pay
Online help for employees on maternity leave and pay, and other associated maternity rights. The site includes an interactive calendar to help women plan their maternity leave and a form that employers and employees can use to make the notification process simpler.

A Great Place to Work?
DTI has created a new website A Great Place to Work that sets out in clear terms the range of initiatives available to help you to develop your staff, involve them more in your business, and get the best from them. The website includes case studies and contacts for further information.

Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development
CIPD is the professional institute for those involved in the management and development of people. The members/ subscription service is a valuable library resource and even the free information available on employment issues is worth looking at.

People Management
This free online journal is produced by the CIPD (The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development). It features the latest developments in human resource management, written in a clear and accessible style. The site offers selected sections from the journal; the whole journal can be subscribed to for an annual fee.

MentorsForum.co.uk
This site, hosted by Business Link Hertfordshire, is an interactive site which studies mentoring as a general subject. Offers management case studies and free practical tools like factsheets and software to actually use for mentoring. The Network section links to mentoring organisations in the UK and overseas.