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Budget 2024: Into the Chocolate Factory
07 March 2024“There is no life I know to compare with pure imagination!” So sang Willy Wonka, in both his Gene Wilder and Timothee Chalamet incarnations – I have no idea about the Johnny Depp version, that one looked terrifying to me. And the Chancellor seems to have been infected with the same Wonkaesque, starry-eyed enthusiasm.
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Remote working requests: frequently asked questions
07 March 2024As organisational and workforce attitudes to office attendance continue to shift, where are we with the law on remote working requests?
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Right to request remote and flexible working comes into operation today
07 March 2024The Government has today brought the right to request remote and flexible work arrangements into operation, and the long-awaited Code of Practice for employers and employees on the right to request remote and flexible work arrangements has finally been published by the WRC. This means all employees now have the right to request remote working. Parents and carers also now have the right to request flexible working. Here’s our summary of what Code of Practice says, and the key takeaways employers need to know.
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Varying a worldwide freezing order: timely collaboration and transparency is key – Lewis Silkin advises successful respondent
07 March 2024An attempt to vary a £88m worldwide freezing order to permit the sale of a significant London property was successfully resisted recently by the Claimant, represented by Lewis Silkin. We explore the issues arising in the recent High Court judgment, which confirmed the importance of timely collaboration and transparency when considering the variation of a freezing order.
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ICO publishes new guidance on content moderation obligations
06 March 2024On 16 February 2024, the ICO published new guidance on the interplay between content moderation obligations and data protection (“the Guidance”). This is the ICO’s first guidance on content moderation and outlines how data protection law applies to content moderation processes under the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA) and the possible impacts on people’s information rights.
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ICO publishes new Tech Horizons Report
05 March 2024On 9 February 2024, the ICO published a new Tech Horizons Report, which highlights eight emerging technologies that the ICO considers may have a particularly significant impact on society, the economy and information rights in the next two to seven years.
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New Code of Practice published on fire and rehire
29 February 2024The government has published new statutory guidance which warns that ‘fire and rehire’ should only be used to change employees’ terms and conditions as “a last resort” and urges employers to first engage in thorough and open information and consultation processes.
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UK Migration Advisory Committee reports on new Immigration Salary List
29 February 2024Only 21 occupations are recommended for inclusion on the new Immigration Salary List (ISL), which will replace the Shortage Occupation List (SOL) for the Skilled Worker route from 4 April 2024. Employers may find that this, combined with the increased minimum salary thresholds will significantly reduce the size of the eligible talent pool for sponsorship of overseas workers.
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Apply now for UK work visas before minimum salary jump on 4 April
29 February 2024From 4 April 2024 many people who would qualify now, will not be able to get a Skilled Worker visa. Hefty increases to the occupation-based ‘going rate’ salary thresholds and the new general salary threshold of £38,700 will impact a vast number of would-be applicants. Employers should urgently review potential applicants to submit applications now and avoid disappointment in the near future.
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New flexible working rules: a flowchart
28 February 2024Flexible working laws are changing in April. Our flowchart shows the new process.
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Home Office reconfirms Ukraine Schemes do not lead to settlement
27 February 2024New Immigration Rules laid on 19 February 2024 have made immediate changes to the Ukraine Schemes, including closing the Ukraine Family Scheme. A separate announcement reconfirms that the Ukraine Schemes do not lead to settlement, but that an 18-month extension will be available for scheme participants from early 2025. Participants wishing to settle in the UK should urgently review their options ahead of restrictions to work and partner routes being implemented in March and April 2024.
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Difference between UK consumer laws including DMCC Bill and equivalent EU laws
23 February 2024This note sets out the key differences in consumer law between UK and EU consumer laws. This includes, for the UK, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (CRA), Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, SI 2008/1277 (CPR) and proposed changes under the DMCC Bill which is currently passing through the parliamentary process. For the EU it includes the Omnibus Directive (EU) 2019/2161, the Sale of Goods Directive (EU) 2019/771 and the Digital Content Directive (EU) 2019/770 (DCD) which have become law in EEA member states since the UK left the EU.
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New Immigration Rules place greater restrictions on care workers
22 February 2024From 11 March 2024 care providers in England cannot sponsor new care workers under the Skilled Worker route unless they are registered with the Care Quality Commission. From the same date, newly sponsored carers can no longer bring their family members to the UK.
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The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023: first changes set to be introduced
22 February 2024The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023 and introduces several changes which are intended to prevent abuse of UK corporate structures and reduce economic crime. ECCTA will come into force in stages and it is anticipated that the first changes will be introduced on 4 March 2024 (although this date is dependent on parliamentary timetables).
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White Paper consultation response: regulating AI in the workplace
20 February 2024In March 2023 the government published its White Paper on AI regulation. In less than a year, development in the field has been rapid, with regulators and legislators chasing to keep up. The government has now published its response to the consultation on the White Paper. We focus on what this tells us about future regulation for the use of AI in the workplace.
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Changes to right to work compliance: key takeaways for employers
16 February 2024The Home Office recently updated the Employer’s guide to right to work checks. The guide contains references to the increased £60,000 civil penalty for illegal working, along with some small but significant changes that impact how employers complete compliant right to work checks. In this article, we highlight the key changes to help employers stay on top of right to work compliance.
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Guidance on key concepts of privilege from Court of Appeal
15 February 2024The Court of Appeal ("COA") has handed down a judgment dealing with a number of important points regarding the scope of legal professional privilege and the iniquity exception.
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New visitor rules benefit business visitors to the UK
15 February 2024Since 31 January 2024, the Immigration Rules for visitors have been liberalised to allow a wider range of activities for business visitors, including in the areas of intra-corporate activities, remote working, providing legal services and carrying out research. The Permitted Paid Engagement visitor route has been expanded and incorporated into the standard visitor route, meaning these visitors can stay for up to six months.
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What’s happening in UK employment law in 2024: timeline
15 February 2024With a raft of upcoming legislative changes, there’s a lot to keep on top of in 2024. We’ve produced a timeline to help keep track of what’s ahead.
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Professor’s ‘anti-Zionist’ beliefs were protected
13 February 2024Despite finding that a professor at the University of Bristol’s comments on Zionism merited disciplinary action against him, the Employment Tribunal concluded that dismissal was too severe a sanction and had been influenced by his beliefs concerning Zionism, which were protected under the Equality Act 2010. Dr Miller had therefore been discriminated against because of his anti-Zionist beliefs.