Senior business leaders say discussions with deputy prime minister Angela Rayner over proposals to improve workers’ rights were “positive,” but cautioned that the “devil will be in the detail” of legislation to be put before Parliament next month. Bosses from John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, Octopus Energy and nine other large employers met Rayner and Jonathan Reynolds, the business…

The Guardian‘s Polly Toynbee reports on The Hard Graft: Work, Health and Rights exhibition at the Wellcome Collection in London. Curated by Cindy Sissokho, various artworks address themes of oppression, resistance, and the undervaluation of workers, with a focus on women and domestic labour. Toynbee writes: “There is no better time [for this exhibition] than…

Workplace disability discrimination claims have increased significantly. There has been a 30% rise in cases referred to Acas for conciliation, from 6,545 to 8,496 over the past two years. Joanna Sutton, a lawyer at Nockolds, noted: “While awareness about mental health issues has increased, in many cases workplace policies have lagged behind.” The surge reflects…

Georges Elhedery has officially taken over as the new chief executive of HSBC, succeeding Noel Quinn. In an internal memo, Elhedery expressed his commitment to the bank’s existing strategy, stating: “Our strategy is working, and I’m committed to continuing to build on it.” He aims to shift HSBC from restructuring to growth amidst challenges such…

A BBC investigation has uncovered a fraudulent network exploiting international students seeking work in the UK care sector. Students were charged up to £17,000 for sponsorship certificates that should have been free, only to find their visa applications rejected by the Home Office. Taimoor Raza, a key figure in the scheme, allegedly sold 141 invalid…

Young Londoners are leading the charge in returning to the office, while older workers’ preference for remote work is contributing to the UK lagging behind global rivals. In a study by the think tank Centre for Cities, London had a lower office attendance rate than Paris, New York, Singapore and Sydney. However, the UK capital…