The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled against the employees and the union involved in the Woolworths redundancy case. It’s good news for employers because it could reduce the time they have to spend negotiating collective redundancies in the future. The case brought into focus the issue of when do employers need to negotiate
It has always been a delicate issue trying to check whether potential employees have criminal records and now it has become even trickier, leaving employers in danger of acquiring a criminal record of their own if they don’t follow the correct procedures. The official way to check is to use the Disclosure and Barring Service,
A whistleblower who was sacked after revealing what he regarded as unfair practices by his employers has won his claim of unfair dismissal. The Employment Tribunal held that the disclosure was in the public interest. The case involved a manager who worked at a branch of a large estate agency chain. He told his area
The new system of Shared Parental Leave (SPL) allowing mothers and fathers to share 52 weeks’ leave came into effect on 5 April 2015. Under the SPL scheme, mothers are still required to take two weeks’ compulsory leave immediately after the birth, but the other 50 weeks can be shared between both parents. The benefits
The Supreme Court has rejected the idea that directors can avoid responsibility for offences like fraud by trying to make their company responsible for their wrongdoing. The case, involving Bilta UK Ltd and Swiss company Jetivia SA, helps to clear up some uncertainty over the extent to which directors, as opposed to the company itself,
An agency that received a multi-million pound secret commission when helping in the purchase of a hotel has been told it must hand over the money to the parent company for which it was working during the transaction. The issue arose after the agency was engaged by a company wishing to buy a hotel. During
Large companies will have to publish their payment practices from next April, under plans laid down by the Coalition Government. Companies will also have to publicly state whether they require financial incentives to continue working with suppliers. It’s uncertain whether the plans will be scrapped by the incoming government, but none of the main parties
During the recession, many firms shelved plans to move to better and larger premises. Indeed, some businesses looked to downsize rather than expand. However, as the economy gradually recovers and confidence slowly returns, some firms may be considering whether the time has now come to make a long-delayed move. The demand for property has recovered
Thinking of starting a business on your own or with a business partner? Don’t leave it too late to consider the legal issues and budget for them! Here are the top issues we are most commonly asked to advise on by new entrepreneurs: Business Entity: Will you start up as a sole trader (under your
Robert Bedford, Past President and Council Member of the Hertfordshire Law Society, is an Employment Partner at Machins Solicitors, Luton. Here he considers the effects of the changes in employment legislation on vulnerable and low-paid employees The Introduction of Employment Tribunal Fees The introduction of fees to bring claims in the Employment Tribunal 18 months