Cohabitation Agreements
August's newsletter details organisations named for not reporting gender pay gap details and more. For advice call 01782 200500.
Read Blog
4 min read.
Employment Law Newsletter August 2024
August's newsletter details organisations named for not reporting gender pay gap details and more. For advice call 01782 200500.
Read Blog
4 min read.
Employment Law – Incoming Changes with our New Government
A property chain is a series of linked property transactions where each purchase depends on the success of the one before it. If one part fails, it can lead to delays and problems for everyone else involved in the process.
Read Blog
4 min read.
How to navigate financial settlements during divorce
A property chain is a series of linked property transactions where each purchase depends on the success of the one before it. If one part fails, it can lead to delays and problems for everyone else involved in the process.
Read Blog
4 min read.
Employment Law Newsletter July 2024
July's employment law newsletter covers AI regulation, Improved workplace provision and travel times are not 'working time'
Read Blog
5 min read.
What is a property chain and why do we get them?
A property chain is a series of linked property transactions where each purchase depends on the success of the one before it. If one part fails, it can lead to delays and problems for everyone else involved in the process.
Read Blog
2 min read.
Employment Law Newsletter June 2024
June's employment law newsletter covers AI regulation, health and wellbeing in the workplace and more.
Read Blog
6 min read.
Protecting your assets when you’re getting married
When you get married, you don’t often think about the implications it may have on any assets you own - here's how to protect your assets.
Read Blog
2 min read.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
The new duty to prevent sexual harassment contained in the Worker’s Protection Act 2023 (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) has placed the UK on a firm path towards fostering a culture of proactive prevention, rather than one of reaction and redress. So, what are the “reasonable steps” an employer should take?
Read Blog
4 min read.
Employment Law Newsletter May 2024
May's employment law newsletter covers paternity leave, multi-claimant legislation and more.
Read Blog
6 min read.
Heather Reynolds Appointed as Partner at Bowcock & Pursaill
Bowcock & Pursaill has appointed Heather Reynolds as the latest partner at the firm. Having joined the team more than 14 years ago, Heather is the epitome of climbing the career ladder, starting out as Office Assistant. Very quickly Heather became interested in training as a solicitor and started working her way up the ranks. She progressed to Receptionist first before becoming a Legal Secretary at the firm at 21 where she worked for Commercial Property Specialist, Tom Gregory and Residential Property Specialist, Emma Amat. During her time as Legal Secretary, Heather enrolled at Staffordshire University to study law in...
Read Blog
3 min read.
Employment Law Newsletter April 2024
What are the new employment laws and how will they affect employees and employers? This month, we are focusing exclusively on the new employment laws that will come into force in April 2024. National Minimum Wage Increases The National Minimum Wage (NMW) will experience increases effective from 1 April 2024. For people over 21, the National Minimum (Living) Wage will elevate from £10.42 to £11.44. Those aged between 18-20 will see an increase from £7.49 to £8.60, while individuals aged 16-17 and apprentices will observe a rise from £5.28 to £6.40. The NMW, a mandatory wage floor for all employers,...
Read Blog
3 min read.
Increased protection from redundancy for pregnant employees and those who have taken adoption or shared parental leave – new legislation 2024
In April 2024, there will be significant changes to UK redundancy rules. Currently, employers have a legal obligation to offer suitable alternative employment, where a vacancy exists, to an employee who is on maternity leave, shared parental or adoption leave, if their job is at risk of redundancy. This is limited to the duration of the relevant leave. The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023, which received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023, introduces further protections which means that expectant employees or those returning from maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, will receive greater protection from redundancy....
Read Blog
3 min read.
Supporting our commercial clients
Bowcock and Pursaill successfully supported the purchase of two companies which each operates separate care homes on the same day for long standing client Bishnu Khanal. Working with Partner Catherine Whittles and the corporate and commercial property team has been nothing but positive for Mr Khanal for the past 13 years. In 2011, Catherine and her team supported Mr Khanal’s acquisition of a care home and he hasn’t looked elsewhere for that service since. Since appointing Bowcock and Pursaill to help with his commercial acquisitions, Mr Khanal has purchased five care homes. The most recent being two on the same...
Read Blog
1 min read.
Protection from Harassment – new legislation 2024
The Worker Protection Bill has been updated and new legislation comes into effect from October 2024 covering protection from harassment. Employment law specialist, Clare Thomas, talks through the new legislation and what it means for employers. What does Protection from Harassment legislation mean for employers? This new legislation means that workers will have protection from harassment – particularly sexual harassment – and employers will be duty-bound to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment of their employees. In workplaces where sexual harassment thrives, this new legislation will be very welcomed. It marks a change in legislation from ‘redress’ to ‘prevention’,...
Read Blog
4 min read.
New Flexible Working legislation 2024
Millions of workers in the UK will have more flexibility over where and when they work as the Government announces new flexible working legislation which comes into effect on 6 April 2024. Under this new legislation, employees will have the right to request flexible working from day one of their employment. This is a significant change from current legislation which states that an employee must be employed for 26 weeks or more before being able to request to work flexibly. Clare Thomas, employment law specialist at B&P talks about the changes and what employers can do to prepare. Why is...
Read Blog
4 min read.
What is the Neonatal Care Act?
Under the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Neonatal Care Act will be introduced to support employees who have a newborn baby receiving palliative or medical care. This means that it will be easier for employees to be granted Neonatal Leave and Neonatal Care Pay to look after their babies. The Neonatal Care Act received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023, and it is scheduled to come into force in April 2025. What will employees be entitled to? It is anticipated that employees who qualify for neonatal care will be offered the additional entitlement if their baby needs medical or palliative care...
Read Blog
3 min read.
Employment Law Newsletter February 2024
The Employment Tribunal considered whether a university professor had been directly discriminated against, harassed and victimised for her gender-critical beliefs. The Employment Tribunal has affirmed the claims made by a former professor against her previous employer, the Open University. The allegations include direct discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and constructive dismissal based on her gender-critical beliefs. Her perspectives, such as asserting that a person cannot alter their biological sex and emphasising the distinction between sex and gender identity, met the Grainger criteria and were protected under the Equality Act 2010. Professor Phoenix expressed her gender-critical views by co-signing a letter to The...
Read Blog
12 min read.
Changes to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage in 2024
What is the new National Minimum Wage, what will it mean for your business and how do you comply with the new legislation? We’ll tell you everything you need to know! In November 2023, the Government announced the largest ever increase in the National Living Wage. From 1 April 2024 the National Living Wage will increase by: 8% from £10.42 to £11.44 per hour for those aged 21 and over (previously those aged 23 and over) The National Minimum Wage will increase by: 8% to £8.60 per hour for those aged 18 – 20; 2% to £6.40 per hour for...
Read Blog
5 min read.
Changes to the Carer’s Act from April 2024
Currently there is no specific right for carers to take leave. However in 2023, the Carer’s Leave Act 2023 made provision for employees who have caring responsibilities to take at least one week of unpaid carer’s leave per year. This received Royal Assent on 24 May 2023 and is expected to become law from 6 April 2024. This means that carers will have a new statutory right to take at least one week of unpaid leave right from the beginning of when their employment starts. This will allow them to provide or arrange care for a long-term dependant. Who is...
Read Blog
3 min read.
Changes to Holiday Pay and TUPE changes from January 2024
Changes to Holiday Pay and other Employment Law changes 2024 There are some significant changes to holiday pay and employment law due in 2024. Is your business ready? In this blog, we talk about some of the changes in employment law that are coming into effect in 2024 and what employers need to do to prepare. Some of the first changes will impact holiday pay and annual leave, working time and rights/obligations under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE). Holiday pay for irregular and part-year workers “Irregular hours workers” and “part-year workers” will be removed from...
Read Blog
5 min read.
Employment Law Newsletter November 2023
Consultation for Acas new Code of Practice Acas has released a consultation regarding a fresh statutory Code of Practice concerning the management of requests for a predictable work schedule. This code will be implemented once the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act of 2023 is officially enacted. Following the enactment of the Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023, expected to take effect around September 2024, Acas has initiated a consultation on a new statutory Code of Practice governing requests for predictable working patterns. This Act establishes a statutory right for workers and agency workers to request a predictable work...
Read Blog
10 min read.
B&P wear it pink!
The Bowcock & Pursaill team celebrated Wear it Pink Day on 20 October to raise awareness for breast cancer. Between the offices we raised over £200 – here’s some photos from our Uttoxeter office with a special shout out to Kay Johnson who has just undergone surgery for breast cancer and returned back to work on the same day as the fundraiser. Kay is pictured ringing her own bell that was brought for her as a congratulations.
Read Blog
1 min read.
Employment Law Newsletter August 2023
BSI publishes new standard on menstruation, menstrual health, and menopause in the workplace The British Standards Institute (BSI) has published a new standard on menstruation, menstrual health, and menopause in the workplace – Menopause standard launched to help organizations support workers | BSI (bsigroup.com). Designed following an extensive public consultation and in conjunction with major employment organisations such as Acas and Unison, the report’s aim is to help employers support and retain employees experiencing issues connected to menstruation or the menopause. EAT rules on calculating accrued but untaken statutory holiday following termination of employment Connor v Chief Constable of the...
Read Blog
10 min read.
Caroline Gregg joins B&P team
Family law specialist Caroline Gregg has permanently joined our team. With more than 20 years of experience in family law and as an associate member of the Institute of Chartered Legal Executives, Caroline has now started her new role as Head of the Family and Matrimonial Department. Through her career, Caroline has negotiated a range of legal issues from marriage breakdown to divorce, and financial disputes to child matters. As a member of Resolution, Caroline is committed to a particularly high standard Code of Practice and promotes a constructive approach to the family issues. Prior to the new full-time role...
Read Blog
2 min read.
