Issue 29 – August 2023
Welcome to the August issue of the Fast Forward Newsletter
We are pleased to present you with the latest happenings and insightful news from the UK and around the world. As always, we strive to bring you informative content that keeps you in the loop and engaged with the ever-changing landscape of our industry. This month’s highlights:
Fast Forward News
- Reminder: Fast Forward Standards from 1 July, 2023 – video now available
- Reminder: Audit process update from 1 July 2023 – FF Complyer
- SEP Supplier Training – welcomes Brands
Industry and Legislative News – ALL SECTORS
- Civil penalties for employing workers without right to work will treble to up to £60,000 from 2024
- Changes to Paternity Leave and Pay: new Government updates
- Director of Labour Market Enforcement, Margaret Beels, is seeking your views to inform the 2024 to 2025 strategy.
Waste and Recycling
We want to hear from you! Share your feedback and requests for inclusions in this publication or any other part of the programme. Contact us today!
The Fast Forward Team
FAST FORWARD NEWS
New Standards Updates from 1 July 2023
Attention SEP Suppliers and Brands! We are pleased to inform you that the 13-minute video highlighting the latest updates to the Fast Forward Standards is now available on your Dashboard. Presented by Hannah Newcomb, Co-CEO of Stronger Together, this informative video will help you stay ahead!
Audit process & report sharing from 1 July 2023
The new Fast Forward Audit and Improvement process has now commenced. Visit your Dashboard and head to the “Audit Process and Training” section to read more.
Engage and Empower
Supplier (SEP) Training Sessions
Supplier Engagement Programme (SEP) training sessions are now open for booking through your Dashboard. Take advantage of this opportunity to benefit from ongoing professional development and stay up-to-date with evolving standards and practices.
Both Brand and Supplier members now join our training sessions – with dedicated time at the end for separate Brand and Supplier breakout sessions to discuss questions, challenges and opportunities in a peer-to-peer space.
To explore the full agenda of this training session, click here.
LEGISLATIVE AND INDUSTRY NEWS
Tripling of civil penalties for employing workers without legal eligibility to work
The civil penalty for employing workers without the right to work in the UK will triple to up to £45,000 for a first offence and up to £60,000 for subsequent offences, with effect from 2024.
In an announcement on 7th August, the Home Secretary unveiled a significant overhaul of civil penalties, marking the most substantial change since 2014.
For Employers: The civil penalty for employers will substantially increase. Previously updated in 2014, the penalties are now set to more than triple. A first breach that would have resulted in a fine of £15,000 will now carry a penalty of up to £45,000 for employing a worker without legal eligibility to work. For repeated breaches, the fines will rise to £60,000 from the previous £20,000.
For Landlords: As part of this initiative, penalties for landlords will also see a significant increase. The current fines of £80 per lodger and £1,000 per occupier for a first breach will be revised upwards. From now on, penalties could go up to £5,000 per lodger and £10,000 per occupier, increasing for repeated breaches to as much as £10,000 per lodger and £20,000 per occupier, a significant increase from the previous £500 and £3,000, respectively.
Employers and landlords should already be checking the eligibility of anyone they employ or let a property to. There are a number of ways to do this, which are not changing, including via a manual check of original documentation and the Home Office online checking system.
SEP subscribed suppliers can visit their Core Standard 1 video training for a refresher as part of their subscription.
Changes to Paternity Leave and Pay: new Government updates
Here’s a breakdown of the proposed changes and what they mean for fathers or partners:
Flexible Leave Blocks: Previously, only a single block of 1 or 2 weeks of Paternity Leave could be taken. However, the forthcoming changes will allow fathers or partners to split their leave into two separate 1-week blocks, granting them enhanced flexibility in managing their time.
Extended Timeframe: A significant adjustment involves extending the timeframe for taking Paternity Leave and Pay. Instead of being limited to the first 8 weeks, fathers or partners will have the freedom to take their leave and pay at any point within the first year after the birth or adoption of their child.
Revised Notice Period: The way notice of leave and pay is communicated to employers will also be refined. Under the new system, employees will provide notice of their intent to take Paternity leave 15 weeks before the expected week of childbirth (EWC). Additionally, they will offer a notice of dates four weeks ahead of each leave period. We’ll keep you informed with updates.
Read the Good Work Plan: Proposals to support families
Director of Labour Market Enforcement, Margaret Beels, is seeking your views to inform the 2024 to 2025 strategy
The Director of Labour Market Enforcement, Margaret Beels is seeking evidence to inform her strategy for 2024 to 2025. Here’s how you can get involved:
Provide written feedback: Share your thoughts and relevant evidence by 8th September, 2023, addressing the questions presented.
Engage directly: The Office of the Director of Labour Market Enforcement is holding stakeholder engagement sessions including round table meetings and partner visits throughout the summer. This is a unique chance to directly share your views and evidence.
Get involved here!
Government announces ‘new’ waste reduction programme
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs announced a new programme, called ‘Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste’, which is said to bring together a range of measures across seven sectors including construction, textiles, furniture, electronics, vehicles, plastic and packaging and food, with strategy on three pivotal themes:
Designing for Sustainability: Championing products built for durability, repairability, and recyclability. Ecodesign, consumer information, and Extended Producer Responsibility schemes will reshape how products enter the market, encouraging efficient use and longevity.
Creating Efficient Systems: A well-functioning system, involving public, private, and voluntary sectors, will foster reuse, repair, and remanufacturing. Local-level operations, complemented by innovative digital platforms, will extend product lifecycles and curb waste.
Data-Driven Solutions: Through materials databases, product passports, and voluntary corporate reporting, they aim to enhance transparency and informed decision-making, supporting a circular economy.
Just Good Work
Just Good Work is a free, interactive mobile app giving jobseekers and workers from the UK or abroad critical information and advice on recruitment and employment. The Fast Forward audit requires businesses to display the Just Good Work poster.
Posters are available to download for free in nine languages from the Fast Forward website: Albanian, Bulgarian, English, Croatian, Gujarati, Polish, Romanian, Serbian and Ukrainian.
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