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Zero hours contracts
Inbrief
17 September 2024Zero hours contracts allow organisations to hire individuals without guaranteeing them any work.
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Industrial action
Inbrief
16 September 2024Economically turbulent times resulting from coronavirus have seen an increase in trade unions’ membership and an increase in them ‘flexing their muscles’ by threatening industrial action over adverse changes in the workplace for their members.
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Our guide to the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 – focusing on consumer law
Inbrief
12 September 2024The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act was introduced to the UK parliament on 25 April 2023, following a Green Paper back in 2018 and consultation by the government in 2021. The government said that one of its primary purposes is to protect consumers by strengthening the enforcement of consumer protection law (including by giving the CMA significant new powers and the prospect of GDPR style fines) and introducing new consumer rights, including by tackling subscription traps that it says currently cost consumers £1.6 billion.
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Digital, Commerce & Creative 101: DMCC Act and subscriptions
Inbrief
12 September 2024The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill is currently passing through the parliamentary process, and among other things, it introduces comprehensive new rules for subscription contracts with consumers. Although it is a moving feast as the Bill passes through the UK parliament, this guide aims to give an overview of the new rules.
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Bullying and harassment
Inbrief
06 September 2024Dignity at work is an increasingly important issue for employers. Taking action to prevent bullying and harassment at work can be crucial in avoiding stress and absenteeism, low staff morale, high turnover and decreased productivity. Workplace harassment and bullying can also expose employers to a variety of different types of damaging legal action.
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The Media Act 2024
Inbrief
06 June 2024The Media Act 2024 received Royal Assent after the parliamentary “wash-up” at the end of May 2024. Among other things, it is aimed at levelling the playing field between linear and streamed content by bringing the streamers under new Ofcom rules. It followed a White Paper on media regulation and a draft Media Bill, which was subject to consultation.
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Environmental Advertising
Inbrief
13 May 2024According to the UK’s Climate Change Committee, consumer behaviour must change if the UK is to achieve its net zero targets. The good news is that sustainability is a growing factor in consumers' purchasing decisions.
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Employment status
Inbrief
19 April 2024Employment status is important because an individual’s legal rights, protections and obligations will depend upon which class they fall into.
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Pension auto-enrolment
Inbrief
19 April 2024All employers are required to automatically enrol eligible jobholders into a suitable pension scheme and fund a minimum level of pension savings (without reducing pay or benefits elsewhere). At least 8% of qualifying earnings must be paid into the pension scheme, with a minimum employer contribution of 3%.
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IR35
Inbrief
03 April 2024The introduction of IR35 for the private sector took effect from April 2021 and represented the biggest change to employment tax for decades.
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Taxation of payments in lieu of notice
Inbrief
03 April 2024All payments in lieu of notice (PILONs) are subject to income tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) in full. The relevant rules are quite complex, as they require employers to calculate the employee’s post-employment notice pay before deducting tax and NICs. This Inbrief explains the rules and gives some practical examples.
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Flexible working - the right to ask
Inbrief
03 April 2024Employees seeking a better balance between the demands of work and personal life may seek a change in their working arrangements – for example, through part-time working, job-sharing or a change in working hours. While there is no right to insist on working in a different way, there is a statutory right to ask for a flexible working arrangement and to have that request seriously considered.
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Ramadan and the workplace
Inbrief
06 March 2024During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, practising Muslims will fast from sunrise to sunset for a period of 30 days. This InBrief looks at considerations for employers during Ramadan and how they can support their staff.
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New Remuneration Code - For investment firms regulated under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive
Inbrief
20 February 2024Since the 2007/08 financial crisis, as a result of both UK government and European initiatives, the financial services industry has been the focus of wide-ranging reform. A key aim of this reform is to align remuneration principles in the various sectors within financial services with a view to ensuring that policies and practices promote, and are consistent with, effective risk management.
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Remuneration Codes – for banks, building societies and designated investment firms
Inbrief
19 February 2024This Inbrief provides an overview of the Remuneration Codes issued by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – we refer to these collectively as “the UK Regulators”.
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Apprenticeships
Inbrief
06 February 2024This Inbrief provides an overview of the law and current practice relating to apprentices. It focuses mainly on the Approved English Apprenticeship regime but touches on some of the other types of apprenticeship. We also highlight the main pitfalls to avoid when recruiting apprentices.
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A guide to the litigation process in England and Wales including disclosure in the Business and Property Courts
Inbrief
06 February 2024If you are involved in a dispute in England and Wales you need to know: what options there are for resolving the dispute; what litigation involves; the steps from the start of proceedings to trial; what parties to proceedings have to do; the fundamentals of court procedure; how to use legal advisers efficiently and cost effectively; and what happens after judgment.
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A guide to the litigation process in England and Wales
Inbrief
06 February 2024If you are involved in a dispute in England and Wales you need to know: what options there are for resolving the dispute; what litigation involves; the steps from the start of proceedings to trial; what parties to proceedings have to do; the fundamentals of court procedure; how to use legal advisers efficiently and cost effectively; and what happens after judgment.
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Shared parental leave
Inbrief
02 February 2024The system of shared parental leave gives parents flexibility to decide how they want to share care for their child in the first year. Guidance is available for employers and employees from the government and Acas, explaining how the shared parental leave regime is intended to work.
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Family rights
Inbrief
02 February 2024Employees who have parental responsibility for a child are afforded certain legal rights in order to protect and support their role as parents. In this Inbrief, we summarise the basic legal position on maternity and adoption, shared parental leave, paternity leave, parental leave, time off for dependents, carer's leave and flexible working, referred to collectively as “family rights”.