As the clock ticks down to the office Christmas party, companies need to avoid the event becoming the wrong sort of cracker. Any company-organised office christmas party, whether in or out of working hours and on or off site, is an extension of the workplace which can test a business across the board on its…
Checking the cost of Christmas in corporate gifts and entertaining Christmas brings a round of festive celebrations with drinks, dinners and bottles of wine shared between customers and suppliers, but whether giving or receiving, businesses need to keep up with the rules on corporate gifting. Under the regime introduced in 2011 by the Bribery Act,…
Talking and teamwork to tackle Christmas divorce Divorce rates have fallen to their lowest level since the 1970s but Christmas break-up continues to spike after the festive season, and professionals are encouraging couples with rocky relationships to focus on talking to each other in the run up to the festive period. Many attribute the stress…
Don’t put your footer in it when it comes to contracts Forget the ink, the courts have ruled that an automatic email signature can count when it comes to the dotted line Companies are being urged to review their electronic procedures after a court ruled that an automatic email footer could be enough to conclude…
In 2000, the country was shocked to the core by the murder of 8-year-old Victoria Climbié. She was privately fostered with her great aunt, who had arranged a fostering agreement with the child’s parents. After this tragic case, legislation was swiftly introduced to stop another tragedy by ensuring that vulnerable children were placed in safe,…
Tattoos have never been more popular, and when created by truly skilled tattoo artists, are genuinely astonishing and beautiful works of art. However, not everyone who wields a tattoo machine is as good as they’d like to think they are, and the sheer number of truly awful tattoos is just as high as the examples…
Holiday pay for those who work only part of the year and have no contractually set hours should not be calculated on a pro rata basis, under a judgement that will affect many in the education sector. The Court of Appeal has ruled in The Harper Trust v Brazel that part-year workers are entitled to have statutory…
Landlords who have not responded to legislation introduced last year to protect tenants in multiple occupancy properties are facing massive fines. The latest involved a property in Lincoln, where landlord Julie Churchill was fined £40,000 for not having a licence for houses in multiple occupation and for failing to ensure the property was safe for the tenants. …
The legal lowdown on our most horrible holiday Whether you regard it as an unwelcome American import, or the chance to be downright naughty for an evening and dress up as a little devil, Trick or Treat is part of the UK’s culture. Every October 31st you’ll see hordes of ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged…