Posts from July 2019
Brexit and using the Courts to challenge a "no -deal" - related prorogation of the UK Parliament
On 22nd July 2019, solicitors representing a cross- party group of Westminster MPs and others wrote to the Lord Advocate General of...
31/07/19Autistic job seeker with 'hidden disability' awarded £18,400 compensation
The National Autistic Society estimates that 700,000 people are living with autism in the UK – more than one in every 100 of the...
31/07/19Adjudication: ‘the good can and should be severed from the bad’
A dispute over the late completion of a hotel in Shoreditch has resulted in another significant judgment on the status of adjudication....
29/07/19IR35: All change for businesses and freelance workers
This article, by our tax experts Sarah Cardew and Anamika Pandey, first appeared in Estates Gazette. The IR35 regime applies to...
29/07/19Government report shows gender pay gaps are narrowing but still favour men
The Government Equalities Office has published a summary of reported data for 2018/19 which indicates that there have been some...
26/07/19Blooming Marvel-ous: a recap of a highly eventful week in the world of planning.
Well. That was quite the rollercoaster. Having just about caught my breath, this post is an attempt to recap all of the important events...
26/07/19A retailer's guide to leases
In a series of 3 articles which first appeared in Estates Gazette, Guy Whitehead takes a closer look at leases from the perspective of a...
25/07/19Casual staff: are new rights on the cards?
The government has launched a consultation on 'one sided flexibility' following recommendations made in the Taylor Review and by the Low...
25/07/19Living your values, and the consequences of ignoring them
When staff at Wayfair, the online furniture retailer, walked out because they discovered that the company had sold furniture to detention...
18/07/19Will employers be compelled to advertise all jobs as flexible?
This week, MP Helen Whately introduced a bill which, if approved by Parliament, will make flexible working the norm and mean that...
18/07/19Employer not liable for racist Facebook picture circulated by a member of staff
Employers are vicariously liable for the actions of their staff if these take place in the 'course of their employment'. That doesn't...
18/07/19Brexit and Financial Services - an update on preparations for a "no-deal" Brexit
On 16th July 2019, AFME (the Association for Financial Markets in Europe) published a short briefing update on preparations for a...
17/07/19Government consults on new sick pay scheme that could benefit two million low paid workers
The government has launched a public consultation on a range of measures to reduce ill health-related job losses. Proposals include:...
16/07/19Brexit and Northern Ireland - new statistics on the consequences of a "no deal"
On 10th July 2019, the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy published a report entitled "Northern Ireland trade and investment...
16/07/19A Plague On Both Your Houses: Research Shows that Public Trust in the Planning System is 'almost non-existent'
Last week, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland published a report which is a damning indictment on us all. Their research demonstrated that...
16/07/19Brexit and an issue of Parliamentary sovereignty - can the Courts block a prorogation of Parliament?
In pursuit of a Brexit at 11pm UK time on 31st October 2019 ("exit day") come what may (or "do or die" as he is reported to have said),...
15/07/19Solar Panels: The materiality of climate change can cast a long shadow over development proposals
In a typical application of Murphy's Law, my recent holiday coincided with a very busy two weeks in the world of planning. In particular,...
12/07/19Brexit and getting closer to Switzerland
As Brexit "exit day" appears to get closer (currently, 11pm UK time on 31st October 2019), the UK is ramping up its efforts to conclude...
11/07/19Planning for the worst
I was sorry to hear the recent news of the liquidation of the sandwich maker, Good Food Chain (GFC), following an outbreak of listeria...
10/07/19Brexit and Japan
In an interview with the BBC in Tokyo on 27th June 2019, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono warned against the perils of a "no deal"...
09/07/19Three reasons for including 'covert recordings' in your list of behaviours likely to amount to gross misconduct
Imagine the scene. You've dismissed someone and they bring an unfair dismissal claim. During that process you find out they've secretly...
09/07/19Thrill-seekers vs screenwriters
Since Doctor Who returned to our screens in 2005, Cardiff Bay has become much more of a bustling tourist destination. However plans by...
08/07/19Brexit - "The government and The National Archives prepare for EU Exit"
On 3rd July 2019 , the UK Department for Exiting the European Union (DEXEU) published a Written Ministerial Statement by Minister James...
08/07/19Brexit and improving the scrutiny of international agreements
The Brexit debates in the UK have brought a new assertiveness to both Houses of Parliament in the way that they pro-actively engage in...
08/07/19Modern slavery: Government signals it will increase sanctions for non compliant businesses
The Government has published its final report following on from the Independent Review into the Modern Slavery Act 2015. In short...
08/07/19"Brexit" and the new EU Prospectus Regulation
The new EU Prospectus Regulation ( No 2017/1129) is due to come fully into force throughout the European Union ( including the UK) on...
03/07/19A story of fives…
Last week, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Communities released the Statistics for Planning Applications in England:...
03/07/19Good news for employers: Supreme Court applies 'blue pencil' to rescue an otherwise unenforceable restrictive covenant
Many organisations incorporate restrictive covenants in their employees' terms and conditions of employment to prevent them from taking...
03/07/19Talking to the plants...
In the past few weeks we've seen plenty in politics commenting on planning and how we should solve the housing crisis. Labour have...
01/07/1910 top tips for avoiding employment tribunal claims
Employment laws generate a lot comment and it is unsurprising that businesses are often confused about what they can and cannot do with...
01/07/19