Tier 5 Visa For Temporary Workers
The Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) visa is a temporary visa for workers in specific sectors. The jobs covered by a Tier 5 visa are: creative and sporting workers, religious workers, charity workers, seasonal workers, workers under international agreements and government authorised exchange workers. You are only eligible for a Tier 5 visa if you have […]
Employment Non-Solicitation Clauses FAQs
Non-solicitation clauses are used to prevent employees from taking clients, customers or members of staff with them when they leave an organisation and engaging in direct competition with their old employer. These clauses are a type of restrictive covenant and can appear in an employment contract or a settlement agreement. A non-compete clause, which seeks […]
What is Insolvency?
When financial hardship hits your business, and you are forced to consider closing down, working out what to do next can be overwhelming. Understanding the fundamentals behind what insolvency is, what the process entails and what it means for the future of your business can help you to navigate this complex situation. The process of […]
Equal Pay Act (A Brief Guide for Employers!)
The Equality Act 2010 enshrines in law the employers’ responsibility to pay employees equally for equal work, regardless of gender. The legal basis for equality of pay was first introduced in the UK by the Equal Pay Act 1970, which prohibited any less favourable treatment between men and women in terms of pay and conditions […]
Attachment of Earnings Order (Employers’ Guide)
Attachment of earnings orders are used to enforce non-payment of county court judgments or unpaid magistrates’ fines. They are administered by employers, who must meet certain obligations for the order to be effective. What is an attachment of earnings order? Where a creditor has obtained a county court judgment (CCJ) for monies owed by a […]
Lodger Agreement (Landlord Advice)
A lodger is someone who rents a furnished room in a landlord’s main home and shares use of certain common parts of the property such as the kitchen, bathroom and living room. A written lodger agreement, also known as a resident landlord agreement, should be drawn up to set out the agreed contractual arrangements between […]
Subletting & Landlord Rights
Subletting is more common than many landlords realise. In many cases, a landlord may not even be aware that their property, or part of it, is being sublet. What are the legal implications of subletting, and what does this mean for landlords and their rights? What is subletting? The property owner is known as the […]
Directors Service Agreements Explained
When appointing a company director, the directors’ service agreement should be used to ensure the individual complies with their duties and that your business’s interests are protected. What is a directors’ service agreement? Directors have specific statutory duties and responsibilities in relation to the organisation, which should be addressed within a directors’ service agreement. In […]
Partnership Agreement (Terms to Include)
Before entering into a business partnership, you should ensure the terms of the partnership are agreed and documented. Written partnership agreements are typically complex documents, containing a broad range of terms and clauses to cover all manner of eventualities which may not seem conceivable in the early days of the business, but a well-drafted agreement […]
Discrimination in Recruitment & Selection
The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from discrimination throughout the employment lifecycle, from recruitment through to contract termination. This means that even before an employment relationship is created, job applicants are protected by law from unfair treatment during the recruitment and selection process. If an employer breaches the provisions under the Equality Act, they risk a […]
Bad Weather Policy (Employer Tips)
Extreme weather conditions can be hugely disruptive to business operations, if employees are snowed in at home, while others arrive several hours late due to travel disruption. Living in the UK, with its unpredictable and varied climate, it makes sense for employers to have a bad weather policy. This will help to minimise operational impact […]
Dismissing a Director of a Limited Company
Dismissing a director of a limited company can raise complex and sensitive legal issues. Many directors are also employees or shareholders, so before terminating a contract and dismissing them from office you will need to understand the legal implications of dismissal to avoid the potential for a dispute and exacerbating a contentious exit. Check the […]
Sackable Offences List (Avoid Unfair Dismissal)
Dealing with issues of gross misconduct can raise a number of legal risks for employers. Employees are protected by law from unfair dismissal, which means any decision to terminate a contract of employment due to conduct must be the result of a fair and lawful disciplinary procedure. In this guide, we look at examples of gross misconduct […]
Why Ladies Night is Illegal: Nightclub Policy & Equality Act
From refusing entry to groups of men to offering discounted drinks for women, nightclubs risk breaking the law with discriminatory policies that could see them face claims for discrimination. Nightclub policies & discrimination: what the law says While nightclubs may have a general right to refuse entry, by law they have to ensure […]
What is the Frontier Worker Permit?
What is the frontier worker permit and how do you apply? Frontier workers are individuals who work in one country while their primary residence is in another. EU freedom of movement has enabled frontier workers to come and go between the UK and EU member states without being subject to immigration control. Under new rules […]
How to Get a Working Holiday Visa for the UK
A working holiday visa allows people from overseas between the ages of 18 and 30 to come to the UK to work and travel for a period of two years. Following changes in UK immigration law on 1st January 2021, the T5 Youth Mobility Scheme visa, formerly called a Tier 5 visa, enables individuals who […]
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (How to Claim)
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended until 31 March 2021. The Chancellor has effectively reverted the scheme back to the August provisions, namely, that the Government will cover 80% of furloughed employees’ wages for businesses affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. Employers will be required to pay national insurance and pension contributions. Government contribution up […]
Job Support Scheme (Employers’ Guide)
The Job Support Scheme (JJS) has been postponed until the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) closes, at the earliest. The CJRS is due to close on 31 March 2021. Further guidance on the new scheme was issued on 22 October, which amended and enhanced a number of the initial features. In a pragmatic change, the […]
How Long Does A DBS Last?
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is a criminal record check that an employer can request as part of their recruitment process, in this way ensuring that they are only recruiting suitable people into their organisation and for the job role in question. This is especially important when the person will be working with […]
Employment Law Reasonable Travelling Distance Rules
If you are relocating to new premises, or asking an employee to move to another office or branch, you will need to understand how you can legally request a move. This includes exactly how far you can expect an employee to travel to their new place of work. However, the employment law rules relating to […]