In your corner: REC Campaigns and Policy news – 2 December 2021

December is already upon us. And you are not the only one astonished by how quickly 2021 slipped away. As we enter the last month of the second year of the pandemic, we are faced with the potential challenges of a new variant- Omicron. There is much to learn about Omicron and its effects, but members will be kept up to date with any major developments through our channels. One thing we do know is that our campaigns team activity hasn’t slowed down. In the last two weeks we have been handling some complex issues especially in healthcare across the UK. Keep scrolling to find out more.  

Special Recognition Payment in Northern Ireland  
The REC has been engaging with our members in Northern Ireland regarding the Covid-19 Special Recognition Payment for agency workers. Health and Social Care (HSC) has announced the one-off bonus for frontline medical staff, as a sign of recognition and gratitude for their contribution throughout the pandemic. Most substantive staff have received this payment and agencies have recently been provided with instructions from HSC to identify qualifying workers. However, the current detail of the scheme excludes the majority of agency staff. The REC will be issuing a public statement shortly on this topic, we have further engagement and communications activities planned to lobby decisions makers so all frontline staff who have shown unreserved dedication and care for their patients receive the payment that they deserve.  

NHS England and Improvement and update on price cards 
Further to the REC’s engagement with NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I) over the last few months, we have written a letter to the CEO regarding the delayed publication of the updated price cards 2021-2022 for the NHS agency workforce. The REC campaigns team and executive team have also contacted a number of civil servants at DHSC and relevant teams at NHSE/I, to share our members’ concern over the disparity the delay is creating between substantive and agency staff. We are actively reaching out to our members who have been affected by this issue, so do get in touch via policy@rec.uk.com to share any experiences or thoughts with regards to this issue. 

Immigration system updates: eligibility checker tool and priority visa services extension 
On 30 November 2021, the Home Office launched a new Skilled Worker Eligibility Checker (SWEC) tool, which enables applicants and employers to immediately see if vacancies are eligible for a Skilled Worker visa. 

Priority visa services are now available to EU nationals holding a biometric passport from an EU country, and who are submitting applications via the UK Immigration: ID Check app. This is available for applications in the following routes: Skilled worker, Health and Care worker, and Student. 

A webinar on protecting your workers and your business  
The Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate (EAS), the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) and HMRC are delivering a joint webinar to discuss protecting workers from exploitation and unequal pay. In particular, the webinar will focus on the lessons learned from Operation Fort, the UK largest anti-slavery prosecution. The event is taking place on Wednesday 15 December at 2pm and you can register for the event here.  

REC Submits Flexible Working Consultation Response 
The REC has submitted its response to the government's consultation on making the right to request flexible working a day one right. The full response can be viewed here and we will keep members updated with any further developments on this. 

In the Media  
Last week, REC CEO Neil Carberry was featured in a Financial Times long read looking at labour shortages and the factors causing them. Our latest JobsOutlook report was also covered by a number of titles including People Management magazine. 

Research Corner  
The REC’s latest JobsOutlook showed that in the three months to September, business confidence in hiring fell to net: +19, decreasing for the fourth consecutive rolling quarter. With uncertainty growing around rising inflation, continued labour shortages and the increasing spread of COVID-19, confidence in the wider UK economy also fell by 13 percentage points to net: +3. Overall, however, a slightly higher proportion of firms said their prospects were still improving, rather than getting worse. 

We will publish the latest Jobs Recovery Tracker on Friday, so keep an eye out for the insight into demands for specific occupations across the UK.