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HR FEEDBACK: A web licence to kill
Date: 27 February 2009
In BusinessCar's new monthly analysis of HR issues, Tom Webster reveals the danger of websites that give banned drivers a clean slate
Check, and then check again
Fleet managers have been warned about websites that offer banned drivers a way of getting a brand new clean licence. Malcolm Maycock of the Licence Bureau told ACFO members at a recent regional meeting about sites such as www.eudriverlicence.com that allow drivers to exchange their revoked or provisional licences for a clean one from another European country.
BusinessCar says:
We were shocked to discover that such sites exist, and even more shocked to see they claim to be totally legal. A glance at the testimonials page should impress the importance of licence checking to anyone that's being slack in doing so. Take this terrifying example.
"Michael says: 'Four times I had taken my test and another one was looming, which I felt I was also destined to fail. Desperate for another option I searched the internet when I fell upon you. I've been driving now for little over a year and I'm so happy I used you.'"
Let it snow
Employers and unions have been at odds over absenteeism caused by the recent snow. Both London Mayor Boris Johnson and Hertfordshire County Council have said staff should expect to have to take any days spent away from work as unpaid or as part of their annual holiday allocation.
The Trades Union Congress slammed this approach, saying: "Workers who have been prevented from working through no fault of their own should not have to foot the bill for the bad weather conditions."
BusinessCar says:
Ignoring the fact a lot of people would have been able to get to work had we been better prepared, surely with so much access to the internet and mobile phones there is no need for work to cease during the snow. Remote email access, Blackberrys and video conferencing have all but removed the need for many people to ever enter the office at all.
Of course there are many occasions where journeys are unavoidable, but with the right systems in place then we need not lose out so heavily next time.
MPs to take safety lead?
MPs have lent their support to an at-work road safety programme run by the IAM, called Driver Risk Management, which sees all drivers complete an online assessment. Those identified as high risk then undergo on-road training.
Around 15 of the MPs at the unveiling of the initiative have now expressed a "strong interest" in it.
BusinessCar says:
It's great MPs are taking a hands-on interest in at-work road safety, but it will be interesting to see whether they follow matters through and then practice what they are likely to end up preaching.
Companies slam levy
HR managers have spoken out against the proposed Workplace Parking Levy in Nottingham, and have warned it could be heading to other cities.
"If it's applied in Nottingham, other employers shouldn't be surprised to see their council jump on the bandwagon," said Roger Speakman, HR Manager at Nottingham based Imperial Tobacco. "Rather than a congestion tax, it's an extra burden on businesses."
BusinessCar says:
Even supporters of the scheme are unashamed in their admission that this levy is another cash-generating ploy, which will see car users paying for services that will only benefit others. It's great to see opposition is mounting.
