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
When preparing restrictive covenants to protect a business from competition from former employees, the question of balance is always vitally important. The restrictions need to be tight enough to ensure protection but not so tight that the courts might rule them to be unenforceable. A recent case before the High Court highlighted the balancing act
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
One of the UK’s leading judges has called for the introduction of no-fault divorces to remove the sense of blame and bitterness that accompany so many break-ups. Baroness Hale says the current system is outdated. She wants it to be modernised so that couples don’t end up making unnecessary accusations about infidelity or unreasonable behaviour.
My first article gave a brief outline of what a Power of Attorney is and why you might need one. Here let us think about the attorney – who it might be and how many you can have. Whichever type of Power of Attorney you decide to create the single most important question is “Who
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
After the matrimonial home, pension funds are usually considered to be the second largest matrimonial asset and they often need to be valued and dealt with when negotiating financial settlements between spouses on divorce. The law In December 2000, the Welfare Reforms and Pensions Act 1999 came into force and the Court was given the
Two brothers have been banned from being company directors after they breached their duty to creditors when their business went into liquidation. The two men ran a company that provided payroll services. The business got into financial difficulties and was wound up in October 2012. An Insolvency Service investigation found that two weeks after the
Apprentices will get the biggest pay boost when the National Minimum Wage increases come into effect in October. The adult rate will rise by 20p from £6.50 per hour to £6.70, a 3% increase. However, the rate for apprentices will rise by 57p to £3.30 per hour. The government says the larger increase is designed
A court has been called on to determine who was responsible for the collapse of a building – the contractors who carried out renovation work, or the engineers who drew up the plans. The issue arose after a couple decided to convert their cellar into living accommodation. The project involved lowering the floor and then