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The cost of stress
14th of September 2011
Stress-related illnesses are one of the biggest causes of staff absenteeism in Europe. Yet surveys reveal businesses seem more prepared to take the hit in terms of lost productivity than get to grips with the issue, as Hartley Milner reports.
I’m under so much pressure at work I really don’t know how I’m going to cope!” It
Poland takes over presidency
14th of September 2011Poland has assumed the rotating presidency of the EU for the first time since it became a member in 2004. Its priorities for the six-month term include building relations with the EU's eastern and southern neighbours, and encouraging economic growth. It also says it wants to promote further EU enlargement.
There is an Eastern Partnership summit
Iceland begins talks to join EU
14th of July 2011
Iceland has started detailed European Union accession talks, setting off a process that could take several years. The early phase of those talks should run smoothly, say diplomats, because the country comes to the negotiating table well prepared in many areas thanks to its membership of Europe's economic cooperation zone - unlike other EU hopefuls
EU maternity leave directive set to be shelved
7th of July 2011
A controversial draft EU law that would give women 20 weeks of maternity leave on full pay are set to be shelved by EU employment ministers.
A consortium of member states led by Germany and the UK are to freeze the Pregnant Workers Directive in the hope that the European Commission will later abandon it.In its original proposal for a directive
EU patent fight goes to court
4th of July 2011Italy and Spain have lodged a complaint with the European Court of Justice against attempts by other member states to introduce an EU patent without them.
The EU patent scheme is backed by 25 member states but viewed as discriminatory by Rome and Madrid. In a statement the Italian Foreign Ministry said it had lodged the complaint with the court
Retirement laws subject to change
1st of July 2011
The question of how to deal with older members of staff, particularly those who have worked for a business for a long time, is a difficult one for managers. At present, employers must follow a fairly strict retirement process which penalises them for failing to comply, but which does allow them to choose to retire an employee without the
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