Travel time between sites that is required for ‘the purpose of duties carried out by the worker’ may be classed as working time under the time work provisions. The failure to pay such workers for travel time could result in them being paid less than the national minimum wage per hour, resulting in an unlawful… Read more »
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has now confirmed that employers do not have to continue salary sacrifice schemes, such as childcare vouchers, during maternity leave. This case hinged on whether salary sacrifice schemes were classed as “remuneration” or non-pay benefits. Women cease to be entitled to the former during periods of maternity leave, but it would… Read more »
This week is ‘Brain Awareness Week’, a global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research. Launched by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives (http://www.dana.org/BAW/), the campaign encompasses open houses at neuroscience labs, displays at libraries and community centres, classroom workshops and more. Here in Newcastle, the two main events… Read more »
In an article published on March 14th, Telegraph crime correspondent Martin Evans highlighted the lack of clarity in laws surrounding incidents of children, some as old as 15, being left home alone. Parents who leave children alone for even short periods of time can be liable to prosecution for child neglect, should police deem the… Read more »
On 1 April 2016 the Government are due to introduce a mandatory national living wage for all workers aged 25 and above. It is part of their commitment to make work pay. There are currently no proposals to introduce a mandatory national living wage for those workers who are under 25. Some employers may already… Read more »
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has now confirmed that commission should be included when calculating an employee’s holiday pay. In British Gas Trading Limited v Mr Z J Lock & Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, British Gas had appealed against the decision that commission should be paid as part of holiday pay. However,… Read more »
From 2016 private and voluntary sector employers who employ over 250 people will be required to make public statistics about the gender pay gap in their workplace based on the average wages of men and women within a workplace. The Sex Discrimination Act, 1975 purported to eradicate pay inequality based on gender. However, even in… Read more »
The Court of Appeal has declared the evidential requirements for legal aid in domestic violence victims unlawful in a landmark decision today (18th February). Lord Justice Longmore made the judgement in R (Rights for Women) v The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice [2016] EWCA Civ 91. The legal challenge was brought forward… Read more »
A new survey completed on behalf of family law organisation, Resolution, reveals that 8 out of 10 children and young people would prefer unhappy parents to divorce rather than stay together for their sake. The poll, completed late last year, asked 514 youngsters aged 14-22 about their experiences of parental separation, from the amount they… Read more »
Family law organisation, Resolution, has urged MP’s to reconsider a steep rise in family court fees after raising concerns it will put couples at risk of staying in unhappy or abusive relationships. The Ministry of Justice announced plans to increase the fees from £410 to £550 in July last year, after its previous proposal of… Read more »
It has always been the case that an employer could restrict the use of personal email or internet use whilst at work, and indeed many contracts contain a clause to this effect. However this week a European Court took this provision one step further and ruled that an employer can view private messages sent whilst… Read more »
A Power of Attorney is as important as a Will in keeping control of assets and finances, so plan ahead to ease the pressure in later life. Everyone knows that they should write a Will, but not quite as many see the importance of a Power of Attorney. Whilst a Will enables you to decide… Read more »
