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Courts hit high and hard with new health and safety fines

One year after the introduction of tough new health and safety sentencing guidelines, a series of high profile cases show that courts are not holding back when it comes to imposing the higher fines, which can be directly linked to a corporate defendant’s turnover.

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Complex challenges for employers in the year ahead

Constant changes and increasing complexity have helped make employment law a frontline challenge for business and this year looks set to continue the trend.

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Getting to work amidst travel chaos and disruption

There are several reasons why employees may have trouble getting to work because of major disruptions. The common cause recently is the ASLEF and RMT strikes affecting Southern and Gatwick Express train services, with the next bout of strikes planned for 24, 25 and 27 January. On Monday, tube strikes also affected commuters having a massive impact on businesses in London. And with today’s weather both ice and snow are affecting the roads and public transport around the country. The question is what can employers do?

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Equal Pay Day 2016

Equal pay day falls today, 10 November 2016, only one day later than last year. This means that women stop earning relative to men today.

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Dwelling on your company’s ownership of a dwelling

The UK government has set out to discourage the ownership of dwellings by companies (both offshore and onshore).

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Letting your flat might not be as easy as you think!

You’ve chosen to work abroad for the next couple of years. You’ve decided to rent your flat out whilst you’re away. Friends in the same position have done this - apparently, it’s easy! However, a recent case might make this more of a problem than you expected.

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Insight

Mince pies and the minimum wage 

A reminder to employers that seasonal staff must receive the correct pay and holiday entitlements over the festive period. With temporary and irregular-hours workers now a core part of Christmas trading, businesses are urged to double-check minimum wage compliance, holiday accrual, and payslip transparency to avoid costly HMRC scrutiny.

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Shifting the balance: How the leaseholder-landlord relationship has changed

Back in 2017, the Conservative government pledged to ‘Improve consumer choice and fairness in leasehold.’ But making a commitment and delivering on it are two very different things - as Stuart Jacobs explains in this article.

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Menopause awareness month: Legal protections and what employers need to know

October is Menopause Awareness Month, highlighting the transition and the support available for those affected. While there are currently no menopause-specific employment laws, existing protections apply, and the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill is expected to introduce clearer obligations for employers.

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DIY probate in England – understanding the risks

In England and Wales, probate is the procedure by which the deceased’s will is proven in court and the executors are given authority to distribute the estate. If there is no will, a similar process applies through “letters of administration”.

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What happens if there’s no will?

Someone passing away without a valid will is more common than you might expect. When this happens in England, the person is said to have died intestate, and it means the law steps in to decide what happens to their estate.

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Upward-only rent reviews to be banned in new commercial leases

The government has announced a significant reform to commercial property law in England and Wales. As part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, upward-only rent review clauses will be banned in new commercial leases, marking a substantial shift in landlord–tenant dynamics.

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