With the countdown to Christmas already started, it might be an idea to look at how to avoid the potential employment law issues at Christmas parties. Without wanting to be viewed as the 'Scrooge' of the party season, we think that it is helpful to set out some useful tips before entering into the party season and heading for that next glass of mulled wine.
Employees should continue to be aware that when on a work Christmas lunch or dinner, they are still employed by
Are you up to date with the changes in TUPE regulations? In November 2011, the Department for Business, Skills and Innovation (BIS) published a call for evidence, seeking views on the effectiveness of the current TUPE regulations. This was on the basis that it was thought that the regulations 'gold-plated' the EU Directive.
Following this call for evidence, the Government announced how the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) Regulations 2006 will change. After deciding not to go ahead with two significant changes it
29 July 2013 marks a dramatic change to employment tribunals (ET) as we have known them, with the introduction of employment tribunal fees. Under these new rules, claimants will be required to pay an upfront fee when submitting their claim to the ET and a further 'hearing fee' 21 days before their hearing takes place.
From 29 July, claimants wishing to submit a claim to the ET will be required to pay £160 or £250 to lodge a claim with a further charge of either
There are at least 3 reasons why we need to take the issue of stress at work seriously and show the importance of a stress audit:
1. The Business Reason:
The 2012 CIPD Absence Management Survey identified stress as the top cause for long term absence in manual and non-manual workers. As absence is estimated to cost employers in the region of £600 per employee per year, this shows how stress actually costs money. Stress also can affect the productivity of staff who remain, so
Following three re-drafts by the Government, a consensus was finally reached on employee shareholder legislation. In April 2013, the House of Lords and the Government agreed on wording of the Growth and Infrastructure Bill which introduced a new employment status employee shareholder.
First proposed by the Chancellor George Osborne at the Conservative Party Conference last October, the original proposals saw a new employment status of employee shareholder that would see employees who were employed under this contract between £2,000 and £50,000 worth of shares, in
Should employers have a social media policy? The potential employment risks around social media was highlighted this month after the resignation of the first Youth Police and Crime Commissioner, Paris Brown, following racist tweets on her Twitter account. Although the tweets were sent before she applied for and accepted the job, they were there to be scrutinised by her future employers and the media.
It is taken for granted that everyone now has some sort of online presence be it for business, pleasure or both.
We are often asked by employers to advise on disability discrimination.
Equality Act 2010 states 'a person has a disability if he has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day to day activities'. Long term means the impairment has lasted, or is likely to last:
The guidance
Whether or not workers can reclaim holidays if they are sick during annual leave has caused a headache for employers for some time. In 2012, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled in workers? favour. So what is the impact of sickness during annual leave?
What does this mean for employers?
In the case of ANGED v FASGA, the ECJ held that workers who fall ill during annual leave can take their holiday again at a later date.
Workers are already allowed to retake
Employment Tribunal statistics
The Employment Tribunals have published their annual statistics for the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012. Interestingly the total number of claims continues to decrease (from 236,000 in 2009/2010 to 218,000 in 2010/2011 and decreasing again to 186,000 in 2011/212).
Unfair dismissal claims have fallen from 47,900 to 46,300. If anyone is interested in reading the report it can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice website.
Employment Tribunal fees
The Ministry of Justice has recently published the results of
The European Commission published draft proposals in January 2012 which aim to update data protection regulations and unify data protection within the EU.
Summary of Proposals
As a private landlord you'll be glad to know that when it comes to repossessing your property in Scotland, the lawmakers have made it nice and complicated for you. Even if a tenant has committed a serious breach of the tenancy agreement, there is no guarantee that you will be able to evict them. So how to evict a tenant?
There are two handy routes for eviction that are available to you, but neither is fool proof.
HOW THE SECTION 33 ROUTE WORKS:
-At least
Do you know Someone Whose Home is in Dire Need of Improvement?
Or has the Local Council placed a Statutory Notice on it for major repairs? Councils are currently tightening their belts and housing funding may no longer be available to assist with home improvements or repairs. Does this also affect home repairs for the elderly and the vulnerable?
So Who will Pay for Home Repairs or Improvements?
If someone is property rich but cash poor and they are working alongside their local authority or
