HR funding comes under the spotlight in this issue. First, we provide a detailed analysis - based on information supplied by more than 110 organisations - of HR departments' budgets and whether or not they have recently increased.

Second, this issue includes the results of the latest salary survey of HR staff from CELRE, the first since it became part of our organisation. Our coverage includes information about trends in HR pay, the value of the benefits package for HR staff and the health of the labour market. A table in our report provides details of salary levels according to job function.

Turning to pay in the economy as a whole, we provide a guide to the wealth of information on pay rates and movements in salary levels that is available to subscribers. With the economic climate becoming ever more challenging, our pay and benefits editor Sheila Attwood analyses the prospects for pay rises in our latest online video broadcast.

This issue also looks at:

• news confirming the repeal date of the dispute resolution procedures;
• the provisions of the revised Acas grievance and disciplinary code;
• the latest appellate court decisions in the employment field;
• how distribution company Wincanton reduced sickness absence by 10,000 days in six months; and
• the public sector's use of shared services in recruitment.

Neil Rankin,
Section Editor,
Employment Review

The public sector's use of HR shared services in recruitment

Some public sector organisations have developed innovative HR shared services centres for their recruitment administration. We explore how they operate and the substantial benefits they can provide for their partners.

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RELATED ARTICLES ON XPERTHR

Partnerships in recruitment: using a shared-services model

Features

The new Acas code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures

This article examines the provisions of the new Acas code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures, issued to take into account the repeal of the statutory dispute resolution procedures.

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EU: Social policy state of play, January 2009

Our six-monthly update on the progress of EU legislation includes the adoption of Directives on temporary agency work and European Works Councils.

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News

April repeal of statutory dispute resolution procedures confirmed

Acas council approves guide to complement discipline and grievance code

Casenotes

Religion or belief discrimination: Eweida v British Airways plc

A dress code prohibiting visible items of jewellery did not discriminate against a Christian employee’s wish to wear the cross.

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Age discrimination: Live Nation Venues (UK) Ltd v Hussain and other appeals

An employer’s decision to dismiss was influenced by the employee’s perceived difficulty in being managed by younger people, but this did not give rise to an inference that the dismissal was on grounds of age.

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Model policies and documents

Model policy: Voluntary reduced working hours
[full XpertHR subscription required]

Model policy: Voluntary increased working hours
[full XpertHR subscription required]

Worked examples: Calculating maternity pay when salary sacrifice includes childcare vouchers

RELATED ARTICLES ON XPERTHR

Legal timetable

Forthcoming law

Statutory rates

Quick reference

This week on the XpertHR/IRS blog

Intrigued by the meanings of "perkonomics", "telepresence" and "micro-boredom"? All is explained in a recent posting.

Our other recent posts include:

• registrar plans appeal against defeat at EAT;
• government offers golden hellos - or does it?; and
• summary dismissals must still be fair.

Taking part in our IRS surveys provides a fast, free and easy way to benchmark your HR policies and practices against competitors and other employers. In return, you’ll receive a complimentary copy of the relevant survey’s findings. We are currently researching:

• induction processes and buddy schemes - closes Friday 30 January;
• effective absence management initiatives; and
• pay awards.

The IRS surveys website gives details of our benchmarking projects, a link to CELRE salary surveys, and a registration facility. This ensures you will be invited to take part in surveys in your areas of interest.

Today's tip: save an article to read later

Found what you want but don't have time to read it? At the top right of every article page on the website is a "save this article" link. Click once and it goes into your Saved Articles file. The items are shown in the order that you added them; to sort alphabetically, click "save by name".

Print all articles in this newsletter

This newsletter has a "print all" button. Before pressing it, please be aware that this uses a lot of paper. Recent editions have run to 170 pages, and others may be longer in future. For the sake of the planet and your toner cartridge, consider whether or not you need to use it. If you press "print all", this will send to your printer all articles linked from the newsletter. It will not print chapters of the employment law reference manual or blog posts. Print all articles.

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