News

Amid all the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus outbreak business owners may feel their fate isn’t in their own hands – but in fact there’s lots that they can do to help them take control. “These are uncertain times. No-one knows exactly how this is going to play out. But there are certain things you can do to protect your business,” said David Tew, a dispute resolution specialist with Cartmell…

The Government is to step up its naming and shaming of employers who fail to pay their workers the National Minimum or Living Wage. Meanwhile, it will increase support for employers to help them comply with low pay legislation. It says the changes, which follow a review of the process, will see naming rounds occur more often to enhance the effectiveness of the deterrent. Ministers have also increased the threshold…

HOW many of us tell our bosses exactly where we want our career to go – BEFORE we start looking for another job? One legal expert, tipped as a regional “rising star” in her field, shared her own experience ahead of International Women’s Day (March 8) to help other women with their personal development. Katherine Pretswell-Walker, associate solicitor with Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, spoke about her own career journey with a…

A minority shareholder who claimed he was being unfairly targeted has won his fight against having to sell his shares for only a nominal price. The shareholder had invested in a holding company set up by himself and three others who had worked together as employees for another business. Their relationship later broke down. The group of three attempted to buy out the minority shareholder but the parties could not…

A property company has lost its appeal against a tribunal ruling that it had failed to correctly calculate the level of service charges payable by leaseholders. The case involved a mixed commercial and residential development owned by Avon Ground Rents Ltd. The leaseholders were contractually obliged to contribute through a service charge to the cost of any repair and maintenance works for which Avon was liable. Remedial works were needed…

The Employment Tribunal has ruled that a managing director was unfairly dismissed after his colleagues accepted a resignation letter he wrote ‘in the heat of the moment’. The case involved Robert Rae, who was managing director of Wellhead Electrical Supplies. Rae and other directors of the company had spent months discussing salary increases for their employees – with Rae more in favour of the idea than his colleagues. During one…

Amazon has been granted an injunction ordering a former employee to comply with the terms of his employment contract regarding the non-disclosure and non-use of confidential documents. The employee, Mr Tejan-Kella, had been an area manager for Amazon. He got into a dispute with the company and issued a claim in the Employment Tribunal. He was then dismissed on the basis that he had no right to work in the…

Cohabiting couples don’t have the same legal rights as married couples, which can cause major problems if their relationship breaks down. Many cohabitants think ahead and draw up a living together agreement that sets out in advance how their assets should be shared if they separate. This can help prevent confusion that often leads to bitter disputes. Couples without such agreements may have to start from scratch to assess who…

Bereaved parents will be entitled to 2 weeks’ statutory leave under new measures being introduced by the government. The Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Regulations, which will be known as Jack’s Law in memory of Jack Herd whose mother Lucy campaigned tirelessly on the issue, will implement a statutory right to a minimum of 2 weeks’ leave for employed parents if they lose a child under the age of 18.…

Company directors should be held responsible for late payment of invoices, according to a survey of supply chain managers. The research, carried out by the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, found that seven out of 10 respondents believed there should be independent oversight and stronger penalties to prevent businesses abusing their suppliers. The survey also found that British businesses are being weighed down by a chronic culture of long…