Three out of four middle managers in UK businesses are unaware of the Bribery Act, according to research by the fraud investigation specialists Ernst & Young. This is in spite of the fact that the Act came into effect in July 2011. The researchers also found that of the 28% of middle managers who had
A manager whose redundancy was rushed through before his 50th birthday to avoid giving him up to £1m in pension benefits has lost his claim of age discrimination. The Court of Appeal ruled that the actions by the employer to save money were justifiable under the circumstances. Employment law specialists say it overturns previous case
Five bus drivers have won a claim of unfair dismissal after a change of employer meant they would have to spend up to two hours a day extra getting to their new depot. The case arose when the bus operator Centrewest transferred one of its routes in London to another operator, Abellio. The drivers were
The Government is asking businesses to express their views and concerns about workplace dismissal rules. The move is part of the wide ranging Employment Law Review, which aims to assess the awareness, understanding and the use of the ACAS Code of Practice on Discipline and Grievance. The Review will also look at the idea of
The national minimum wage for workers over the age of 21 is to increase by 11p to £6.19 an hour. That is a rise of 1.8%, which is lower than the rate of inflation but higher than the average increase in earnings, which rose by 1.4% in the year to January. The rate for 18
The number of businesses facing critical levels of financial distress was 24% higher in the last quarter of 2011 than in same period in 2010. The statistics are contained in the Red Flag Alert compiled by Begbies Traynor. The Professional Services sector was the worst affected showing a rise of 61%. Travel and Tourism was
Break clauses are a good way for businesses to hedge their bets when moving into new premises. Taking on a long or medium term lease offers them stability if their business thrives, while the break clause gives them the option to pull out after a certain period if things don’t go as well as expected.
When commissioning creative work it’s important to establish in advance who owns the copyright. Failure to do so can lead to disputes and legal action, as shown in a recent case before the Patents County Court. It involved a video producer who asked a cameraman to shoot some video of a skydive over Mount Everest.
At Machins Solicitors LLP we offer bespoke debt collection services to suit individual requirements. We have niches in a number of specialist debt collection areas including landlord’s service/management fees, consumer finance and business debts. What evidence of the debt do I need? Ideally you will have a written and signed contract. However you may have
Fact Sheet: Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 The Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 or TUPE Regulations have a major impact on businesses in this country by preserving the continuity of employment and employment terms of transferring employees. Sarah Liddiard of Machins company commercial department explains some practical implications on