On Friday 27th March, the government announced another regulatory change to support businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers unable to take their full annual leave entitlement as a result of COVID-19 will be able carry it over in to the next two leave years. The majority of full-time employees are entitled to 28…

There has been much discussion about the Government’s support for businesses through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This article will look at the support on offer, and the difference between ‘furlough leave’, ‘lay offs’ and redundancy.
For many landlords, there is a common misconception that any tenant can be evicted from your property when they have done something wrong. Whether they have failed to pay rent or not complied with a term within their tenancy agreement, it seems obvious that as a landlord you should be able to simply remove the…
As further news comes to light in relation to allegations concerning Priti Patel, our employment department looks at the potential exposure employers face if their managers are abusive towards or humiliate their staff. One of the common themes of the allegations made against Ms. Patel is that she humiliated staff in front of others. It…

What is Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)? If you’ve not bought a property before, the phrase ‘Stamp Duty’ might leave you scratching your head and heading to your local post office for a book of twelve first-classes. However, in England and Northern Ireland, you’re liable to pay Stamp Duty when purchasing a residential property or…

Most businesses need physical premises from which to trade (even those who principally operate online). Therefore, being able to find premises in the right location, which fits your business and falls within your financial parameters is essential.

Most businesses need physical premises from which to trade (even those who principally operate online). Therefore, being able to find premises in the right location, which fits your business and falls within your financial parameters is essential.

In the aftermath of Grenfell there has been growing pressure from Local Authorities and enforcement measures taken by Fire Authorities on owners of large builds to ensure fire hazards attributable to inappropriate external cladding are addressed.

Each year, thousands of Brits are cold called or approached in the street to be hailed as “competition” winners or presented with offers of “free holidays”. The catch being you have to attend a presentation in order to claim your “prize”.
The presentation is a high pressure sales pitch which can last several hours with many people finding it difficult to leave without signing up for a Timeshare, a decision they often later live to regret.

The staff at Kingstown furniture based in Hull, arrived at work on Wednesday morning to be told they had lost their jobs with immediate effect.

Today, 15th March, the group has announced that it is no longer is position to operate due to financial difficulties. Key individuals are being retained on a temporarily basis to support the required work.
If you have been affected by the Better Bathrooms administration news, you may wish to speak to a member of our team regarding Mass Redundancies and Protective Awards sooner rather than later.

It is common for firms of Solicitors to have restrictive covenants in the contracts of employment of their staff. Clearly, Solicitors have a legitimate business interest in protecting their confidential information and client and referrer connections

Last week the Labour government made an announcement that they would boost the employment rights of the ‘gig economy’ workers.

Metamorph Group Limited has acquired leading Hampshire legal practice, Verisona Law, with offices in Portsmouth, Waterlooville and Gosport, the latter trading as Donnelly & Elliott.

Harassment is a form of unlawful discrimination and can include behaviour that individuals find offensive even if it’s not directed at them, and even if they do not have the relevant protected characteristics themselves. It is important for an employer to be able to recognise harassment in the workplace to reduce the risk of an employee lodging an employment tribunal claim against them. Therefore it is in every employer’s interest to promote a safe, healthy and fair environment in which people can work in.

When a firm makes more than 20 or 100 people redundant such as through closing down a factory site, very special rules apply as to an employer’s obligations to its workforce. Failure on the Employer’s part such as when closures occur out of the blue and almost overnight can lead to employees being able to make a claim even if the company has gone into administration or liquidation and the company no longer exists. Most typically the claim is for what is known as a Protective Award.

Christmas is almost upon us…as are the much awaited office Christmas parties. Whilst no one wants to be the office scrooge and detract away from the positivity of such an event, employers should be aware of their potential liabilities.

A class action brought in the UK by campaign group “Google You Owe Us” was blocked in the High Court yesterday (Monday 8th October 2018). They allege that in 2011/12 Google bypassed privacy settings on Apple iPhone handsets and collected data about millions of people in contravention of the Data Protection Act 1998. The High Court was told that the information collected by Google included data about race, sexuality, political leanings and social class.

Yesterday (10 July 2018) the UK Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, published a progress report in relation to her office’s investigation into the use of data analytics in political campaigns. This investigation has focussed on Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has said it intends to fine Facebook £500,000 for two breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998. This is the maximum fine that can be imposed under that legislation. However, the position could have been much worse for Facebook.
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