Insights & News

Reducing business costs - alternatives to redundancy

Inbrief

23 May 2019

When businesses run into financial difficulties and need to reduce costs, the knee-jerk reaction is often to consider the scope for job cuts.

Pension auto-enrolment

Inbrief

22 May 2019

Since 1 October 2012 employers have been 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).

Shared parental leave

Inbrief

14 May 2019

The system of shared parental leave was introduced as part of the Government’s commitment to create a fairer society that gives parents more flexibility to decide how they want to share care for their child in the first year.

Whistleblowing

Inbrief

09 May 2019

Since 1999 workers who ‘blow the whistle’ on their employers have had the right not to be dismissed or otherwise penalised as a result.

Redundancy

Inbrief

06 May 2019

This inbrief looks at how employers can minimise the risk of legal claims when dismissing employees by reason of redundancy.

Maternity leave and pay

Inbrief

01 May 2019

The law recognises women on maternity leave as being particularly vulnerable and gives them special protection. As a result, employers need to be careful to make sure they comply with their legal obligations in this area. This Inbrief summarises the rights which women on maternity leave enjoy and looks at some common problem areas.

Flexible working - the right to ask

Inbrief

30 April 2019

Employees seeking a better balance between the demands of work and personal life may seek a change in their working arrangements – for example by part-time working, job-sharing or a change in working hours. 

Frequently asked questions on termination payments

Inbrief

25 April 2019

Our FAQs Inbrief looks at some of the common tax questions that arise on termination of employment.

Family rights

Inbrief

19 April 2019

Employees who have parental responsibility for a child are afforded certain legal rights in order to protect and support their role as parents.

European Works Councils under Irish Law

Inbrief

25 March 2019

European Works Councils are the only legally-mandated bodies for transnational information and consultation with employees in the world.

Remuneration codes - For banks, building societies and investment firms

Inbrief

31 January 2019

The financial services industry has been the focus of wide-ranging reform over the past few years as a result of both UK Government and European initiatives.

Disability discrimination

Inbrief

20 December 2018

The main provisions of the Equality Act 2010 (“the Act”) came into force on 1 October 2010. The Act attempts to harmonise and consolidate diversity law across all strands of discrimination. With regards to disability discrimination, the Act is mainly a restatement of the law found in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (“the DDA”), which it has replaced. However, it also made some significant changes and additions to the law.

GDPR: 11 steps to take

Inbrief

26 July 2018

The data protection landscape has changed. The EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) came into force on 25 May 2018.

Protecting your business

Inbrief

20 July 2018

Protecting your business from competitive threats is vital. Losing a team or a key employee to a competitor can be extremely damaging. You may lose clients, prospects, and other staff. Your valuable confidential information may be put at risk.

The General Data Protection Regulation for employers

Inbrief

06 July 2018

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is European legislation affecting all organisations that hold personal data on living individuals. It aims to ensure that organisations using and processing personal data do so fairly and lawfully and gives a number of rights to individuals in terms of how they can access their data and influence its use.

Dismissals for “some other substantial reason”

Inbrief

25 May 2018

“Some other substantial reason” (“SOSR”) is one of the potentially fair reasons for dismissing an employee. It can cover a wide variety of situations and can be a very useful tool for employers in unusual situations, although there are some limits on when it can be used.

Taxation of payments in lieu of notice

Inbrief

25 May 2018

From 6 April 2018 new rules took effect to ensure that all payments in lieu of notice (PILONs) are subject to income tax and NICs in full. The rules emerged from a Government consultation on the simplification of the tax treatment of termination payments which was first launched in 2012. Far from simplifying the taxation, the rules are complex and, in many cases, will increase the costs of both employers and employees.

The apprenticeship levy

Inbrief

25 May 2018

The Government has committed to boost productivity by increasing the quantity and quality of apprenticeships. 

Settlement agreements

Inbrief

25 May 2018

First introduced by statute in 1993, settlement agreements (previously known as compromise agreements) have become increasingly common as a means for an employer and employee to settle claims and/or effect a clean break from the employment relationship.

EU Social Security Rules

Inbrief

08 May 2018

If you have employees who are sent on secondment to work in other countries and/or employees who work in two or more countries simultaneously, you need to ensure that you and your employees are complying with your social security contributions obligations.