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Despite Europe’s working time directive, more people are working in excess of its 48-hours-a-week limit than they were ten years ago, with managers and professionals topping the long hours league.

Jail for a total of 84 days was the result for a woman who stole money from a poppy collection. The amount of cash in the poppy boxes when they were stolen by Iulia Olteanu is unknown. The owner of one of the premises affected by the crime, Peter Woods, said the thefts on Remembrance Day were “disgraceful”. When she appeared before magistrates Olteanu admitted three theft charges and one count of failing to answer bail. Shops can receive help in tackling crime with technology from security experts Tensor. Barriers from Tensor fully integrate with our access control systems giving you full jurisdiction over movement and access in and around your premises. Immediately able to recognise and allow or deny access to personnel, Tensor’s parking barriers cater for all sizes of sites. automatic barriers are capable of operating alongside any installed ticketing systems. Optional extras include a folding arm mechanism, an impact release mechanism, hanging racks or barrier skirts and pedestals.  

Members of the civil service have voted to walk out in a dispute over job losses. The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) said that 61 per cent of those who voted in a national ballot chose to strike. Of those who voted, four-fifths were in favour of forms of industrial action other than striking. In response, the government said the results of the ballot were “disappointing”. A PCS statement said the government is “trying to rip up” basic working conditions. Mobile or wireless technology based Time & Attendance for employers from Tensor ensures a company is kept up to date with who is missing at the workplace. WinTAnet is a proactive system that keeps managers abreast of events. It does this by automatically emailing or SMS text messaging both employees and system users on various issues. For example, on matters of: employee holiday request authorisations; and supervisor notifications of employees who have not clocked in after their start core time.  

After almost two decades on the run, a fugitive was this week finally sent to prison for five years. Eddie Maher was jailed for stealing a security van containing £1.2 million in Suffolk about 20 years ago. After getting away with about 30 sacks of cash into a stolen getaway vehicle, Maher later went on the run and fled to the USA. At the time of his arrest on February 9, 2012, he was working as a cable engineer in Missouri. It is possible to improve security at your depot, site or premises with a Tensor Digital CCTV Camera and Recording System. Did you also know that a fully integrated mobile remote video solution, called SiteSight, is also available? SiteSight has been designed to be totally transportable and can be re-deployed as frequently as required on multiple sites. The unique design allows it to be set up on site by one operator in areas without fixed wired communication or a permanent power source.  

The number of £1 million bonuses paid out by HSBC this year has gone up. The bank confirmed that it gave 204 workers bonuses of more than £1m for 2012, whereas the figure was 192 in 2011. This included 78 employees in the UK, an increase of 14 from the previous year. The financial package awarded to group chief executive Steven Gulliver included a £2 million bonus. Fantastic though this may seem, this is £614,000 less than his take-home in 2011, when he received £8m. Worrying about how the company payroll operates is a thing of the past using a Tensor network. Tensor is the leader in exporting information to the payroll system and has worked with all of the major payroll packages. Our comprehensive Time and Attendance systems have a wide range of configuration options to extract payroll information in the correct format. They can share or receive information from third party applications by using readily available interface modules.  

The European Commission will publish on 22nd September 2004 it’s long awaited proposals for amending the existing Working Time Directive. Drafts copies of the report currently circulating the Commission kick into touch the Britain’s opt-out. It seems that the representations made by British companies for the need for a flexible employment market have gone unheeded with the powerful French/German lobbies winning the argument. Key points of the new legislation are New requirement to maintain timekeeping hours even when employees opt-out Unions can veto accepting working weeks of longer than 48 hours Opt-out agreements cannot be signed at the same time as employment contracts Employers must regularly (at least once a year) review an employees opt-out agreement to see if they still agree The CBI say the new legislation “…. is an administrative minefield that could land companies in court if they get it wrong” , so with the introduction of the full Working Time Directive it is essential that all employers accurately record employee hours on-site and do the necessary Working Time calculations to stay within the law. In practice, you’ll need a computerised Time & Attendance system able to AUTOMATICALLY do the Working Time calculations and a Personnel system to check you are doing the reviews (and tell you when you are not). Fortunately, Tensor’s WinTAlite does all this – for just £1,495.

Hundreds of jobs will disappear at a mine which was ravaged by fire recently. Owner UK Coal confirmed that following the incident at Daw Mill Colliery, a small team will remain on the Midlands site to secure the mine in the short-term, but the majority of its 650 staff will be made redundant. Kevin McCullough, chief executive of UK Coal, said: “This ferocious fire has dealt a blow to everything we tried to achieve over the last 12 months.” The T3512 Low Cost Access Scanner System from Tensor has Health and Safety exit technology and comes with everything you need to start controlling door access right out of the box. The system includes a magnetic door release lock, the Tensor LOCK5, a world-class device for securing a door using smart cards. Exit push button and emergency break glass release is also included. Sturdy, basic and practical, these Tensor products provide the Health & Safety finishing touches to your system.  

Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe has urged an NHS trust to rethink its cost-saving plans. The Yorkshire trust, which has to save £46 million over the next five years, is implementing staffing changes including emergency care assistants for paramedics. Mr Cunliffe said: “Currently, paramedics undergo a two-year degree course to equip them with the correct skills to respond to patients.” He pointed out those in the new role will be responding to emergencies with only six weeks’ training. Staff training is one of Tensor’s areas of expertise. Our Personnel Software is the culmination of many years’ experience in the human resources and time and attendance sectors. Beginning with Small Business – ideal for companies employing 50 people or less – the software has three versions and it offers many features that will save time and aid strategic planning. The large colour display on Tensor’s T32xx clocking station make it simple and easy for employees to confirm check their flexi-time hours or make job-booking transactions.  

PA Sport reports that a former rugby team manager has been landed with a life ban for using fraudulent documents. It emerged that Mike Scott forged a passport and supplied other “false and misleading information” as he attempted to conceal the fact he had not secured the correct visa for one of his London Welsh players. Scott apologised for his actions and said there was no pre-conceived plan in a submission he wrote to the authorities. A Visitor Management System from Tensor ensures no-one with false documentation successfully enters your business premises. Companies that do not have a front desk receptionist can take advantage of the Tensor Unmanned Reception Console. This Console is operated via touch screen technology only; no mouse or keyboard is needed. Here, visitors with appointments can book themselves in and out and the back office can contact their host upon their arrival. This can be done manually or the host can be automatically notified by email.  

In order to save a company from going into liquidation, at least 300 jobs are expected to be axed nationwide. The rescue bid at luxury carpet maker Axminster Carpets by an unnamed party aims to buy the struggling concern out of administration, according to the BBC. The origins of the firm date back to 1755 when Thomas Whitty started making carpets and rugs in the eponymous West Country town using what became known as the Axminster method of weaving. Businesses attempting restructuring will find a Tensor Time and Attendance system highly useful. Available in Lite, Small Business and Enterprise versions, the WinTAnet system is cost-effective for those firms containing a handful or thousands of staff. It operates with differing staff number and remote locations supported. The flagship Enterprise edition allows a Group headquarters to control each subsidiary business that may each be based at different local or international locations. All editions are suitable for use with SQL or Oracle databases.  

Nearly half of women surveyed say their role had changed on return to work after giving birth. More than half of those who responded to law firm Slater & Gordon did not raise concerns because they were either not sure of their rights (26 per cent). Other factors in the poll included women not being aware where to turn for advice (15 per cent); or they thought that finding help would harm their future career prospects (12 per cent). Take total control of absence entitlement management and planning at your business via a Tensor smart card based time & attendance network. Each employee can be given different entitlements for absence such as allowed sick days, built-in dentist appointment, or more. As absence is booked and taken, the available remainder for each entitlement is updated. Entitlement formulae are used to calculate more complex entitlements that work on a rising scale based upon how long a colleague has worked at the firm.  

A new report says 3.05 million UK workers want to work more hours each week. The Office of National Statistics said reasons for this could include workers, such as bar staff, being in jobs where they are only required for a few hours a day. Economist John Philpott said: “Approaching one in five economically active people are struggling. Add in the effect of falling real take-home pay for the vast majority of people in work and it becomes clear how much distress is being suffered.” Organising your workforce so that everyone is allocated the correct hours, shifts and wages is made simple with a Tensor time and attendance network. Using the Shift Premiums function, complex payment schemes can be used, based on factors such as the time of working to the grade of employee. Similarly, with Shift Swapping workers may have their shift for a particular day changed in advance. Annual Hours reports can be swiftly accessed by the WinTA software.