News
30/06/2010 - Case law: definition of 'disability' for discrimination purposesEmployers must take care to identify potential disability discrimination claims, even where it appears that the employee is not disabled, following a recent ruling. [More...]
30/06/2010 - Charity Commission warns of scam callsThe Charity Commission has warned charities about scam calls being made by rogues claiming to be calling from the Commission and asking for money for services and advertisements. [More...]
30/06/2010 - Review of health and safety laws 25/06/2010 - Businesses in Europe may be able to protect single letters or numbers as trade marksBusinesses that use single letters or numbers as a trade mark may now be able to register them as Community Trade Marks (CTMs) to protect them throughout the EU, following a legal opinion from the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice. [More...]
25/06/2010 - Digital Agenda for Europe (2010-2020)The European Commission has launched its Digital Agenda, which outlines areas for action where the digital sector could provide solutions to problems such as creating jobs or producing a low carbon economy. [More...]
22/06/2010 - Case law: 'without prejudice' material not admissible for interpreting settlement agreementBusinesses in dispute with another party, who conduct negotiations to try and settle the dispute, cannot refer to 'without prejudice' documents from those negotiations as evidence in any case to interpret the settlement agreement, the Court of Appeal has ruled. [More...]
22/06/2010 - Licensing software terms unfair and unenforceableBusinesses that license software from a supplier that does not perform as claimed may not be bound by contractual terms requiring it to use the supplier's maintenance and support service, following a recent case. [More...]
18/06/2010 - Increase in national minimum wageThe new coalition government has indicated that it will continue to support the national minimum wage and has no plans to radically alter it. [More...]
18/06/2010 - Equality Act 2010The new coalition government has indicated that it will not amend the Equality Act 2010, meaning that the majority of the Act's provisions will come into force this autumn. [More...]
14/06/2010 - Zero carbon for new non-domestic buildingsThe UK Green Building Council has been commissioned by the Department for Communities and Local Government to produce a report on the viability of making all new non-domestic buildings zero carbon by 2019. [More...]
14/06/2010 - More residential landlords will have to register tenants' deposits from OctoberResidential landlords charging an annual rent of between £25k and 100k will become subject to the assured shorthold tenancy rules from 1 October 2010, including a requirement to register tenants' deposits with a tenancy deposit scheme. [More...]
28/05/2010 - Right to request time off to trainThe Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 introduces the right for employees to request time off to train, by way of amendments to the Employment Rights Act 1996. [More...]
28/05/2010 - Additional paternity leave and payNew fathers are set to gain extended paternity leave with the possibility of additional pay. [More...]
28/05/2010 - Equality Act 2010Below follows a brief synopsis of the Equality Act 2010, which is due to come into force in the autumn of 2010. [More...]
27/05/2010 - Increase in national minimum wage announcedEmployers need to prepare for the changes to the national minimum wage (NMW) that will take effect from October. [More...]
27/05/2010 - Full vetting and barring scheme guidance issuedEmployers will welcome full guidance on implementing the vetting and barring scheme (VBS) published by the Home Office. [More...]
24/05/2010 - Damages-based agreementsThe Coroners and Justice Bill is to now include provisions which regulate damages-based contingency fee agreements. [More...]
24/05/2010 - Case law: delivery costs must not be charged to a consumer who withdraws from a distance contractBusinesses are required to refund both the cost of the goods and the delivery charges to a consumer who withdraws from a distance contract - a contract that is not made face-to-face -according to a European Court decision. [More...]
24/05/2010 - Decision gives guidance on 'use' of trade mark in the UKOverseas trade mark owners promoting their services into the UK should note a recent decision of the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) giving guidance on what amounts to 'use' of a trade mark within the UK, to stop their marks being removed for non-use. [More...]
19/05/2010 - Community Infrastructure LevyThe Community Infrastructure Levy, despite an earlier setback, has been introduced following the coming into force of the Planning Act 2008. [More...]
