The World Cup - Are You Ready?
30 July 2010

With the football World Cup due to start shortly, employers who have not already done so should ensure they have policies in place to deal with any issues likely to arise and that employees fully understand them. Whilst you are under no obligation to make adjustments to cater for employees’ who wish to watch the games, if you are able to offer some degree of flexibility during such events it is an opportunity to improve employee motivation and morale. read full story

Planning Change Affects Private Landlords
30 July 2010

Little publicised, but nonetheless important for many private landlords, are changes implemented by the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010, which mean that, in certain circumstances, a landlord wishing to let out a property as a house in multiple occupation may need to seek planning permission before doing so. read full story

Employee Ordered to Repay £150,000 in Fraud Case
29 July 2010

An accountant who stole nearly £900,000 from his employer over a 10-year period was ordered to repay £150,000 (the maximum amount of assets available for seizure) and was sentenced to three years in prison. The employee used his illicit gains to collect sporting memorabilia, including racing helmets signed by Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, and to fund an extravagant lifestyle. read full story

National Minimum Wage Cheats - Watch Out!
27 July 2010

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are intent on cracking down on employers who fail to pay workers the National Minimum Wage, particularly those who use migrant labour to undercut competitors. To this end, HMRC has established a Dynamic Response Team, made up of highly skilled specialist officers who will concentrate on the most high-profile and complex cases. read full story

Government Demands You Pay Faster Too!
27 July 2010

A Procurement Policy Note issued in March by the Office of Government Commerce requires government departments and non-governmental bodies over which the Government has direct control to pay its contractors within 30 days. However, before hard-pressed suppliers heave a sigh of relief, the announcement is perhaps not such good news as one might think. read full story

Digital Economy Act 2010
23 July 2010

As part of the pre-election ‘wash-up’, the Digital Economy Act 2010 became law, bringing with it the right for the Secretary of State to create secondary legislation to require Internet Service Providers to take ‘technical measures’ against subscribers who infringe the Intellectual Property (IP) rights of others by downloading files. read full story

Out of Court Settlement in Disability Discrimination Case
21 July 2010

A person is regarded as being disabled for the purposes of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) if they have 'a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities'. If the impairment ceases to have such an effect, it is to be treated as still having that effect if it is likely to recur. read full story

New Advertising Codes Published
20 July 2010

Following a comprehensive review and full public consultation, the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) have published new UK Advertising Codes. The new Codes will come into force on 1 September 2010. CAP and BCAP are providing a range of training and advice to help those involved in commissioning, producing or publishing advertising to familiarise themselves with the new rules. read full story

Village Green Decision Supplies Blueprint for Stymieing Development
15 July 2010

Most people – and certainly those who have been involved in an opposed planning application – know what a NIMBY is but, following a case heard in the Supreme Court, we may now see the rise of NOOViGs (not on our village greens). The reason for this was the victory of a group of residents in Redcar, who wished to oppose a proposal to develop land which included part of what had been a golf course. read full story

Ash Cloud - HMRC Makes Residency Concession
14 July 2010

Following the travel disruptions caused by the volcanic ash cloud, HM Revenue and Customs have announced that non-UK residents who spent more than 90 days in the UK as a result of their travel plans being disrupted by the ash cloud will not be treated as becoming UK resident for income tax purposes as a result. read full story