A landmark civil case is a warning to businesses to take appropriate steps to make sure modern slavery and human trafficking is eradicated from their supply chains. This is the first time that the English Court has awarded damages against a company in relation to modern slavery issues. The 6 Lithuanian claimants were supplied by […]
The House of Commons Justice Committee has published its review into Court and Tribunal fees, (click here to access review), finding that ACAS pre-claim conciliation is one of the key reasons for the recent decline in Employment Tribunal claims. Since 6th May 2014 before a claim can be lodged with the Employment Tribunal (‘ET’), a […]
This summer could easily prove itself as a discrimination minefield. Euro 2016, school holidays, early Ramadan and recent case law on religious manifestations all come with their own potential workplace risks. With Euro 2016 having (literally) kicked off in France employees may wish to leave early, take days off or pull the proverbial “sickie” during […]
The tax rules for agencies using contractors are now highly complex leading to an unprecedented range of risks and liabilities. Lawspeed will be delivering a comprehensive presentation highlighting the evolution of the contractor market and the tax consequences of different types of operations at its forthcoming “Taxing Times” seminar on 16th June in London. “An […]
HMRC’s latest consultation “Off-payroll working in the public sector: reform of the intermediaries legislation” announced on 26th May 2016 relates to IR35 and once again puts agencies squarely in the firing line, this time for agencies supplying into the public sector. Public sector bodies include the NHS, educational establishments, local and central government, the BBC, […]
HMRC has published the anticipated consultation announced in the Budget 2016 on new measures within the IR35 rules that will move responsibility for applying the intermediaries legislation on workers operating through their own limited company in the public sector to the public sector body, agency or other third party paying the worker’s company. The intermediaries […]
No one can question whether the umbrella market is going through a period of uncertainty following the new restriction of tax relief on travel and subsistence expenses, says the legal and compliance consultancy Lawspeed, which specialises in advising the recruitment sector and supply agencies. “It’s now all about risk”, observes Theresa Mimnagh, Associate Director of […]
In a recent case of salary sacrifice HMRC’s guidance was held to be incorrect. The case of Peninsula Business Services Ltd v Donaldson was about whether child care vouchers allowable in place of salary under a salary sacrifice scheme run by the employer should continue to be paid during a period of maternity leave. HMRC’s […]
As we are approaching the two month mark after the 6th April 2016 agencies are reporting that they are still unsure as to what actions they need to take to avoid getting caught by the new tax rules relating to travel and subsistence expenses. “We have had a range of queries about liability and what […]
Every business has information it wants to protect as it is integral and invaluable to its success. This can include client lists, the way the business is operating, pricing strategies and strategic information on customers. An ex-employee with access to this information may be an attractive asset to a competitor seeking to encroach upon the […]
