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Changes to working time, holiday and TUPE: retained EU law plans announced
18 May 2023The government has published a consultation paper on proposed changes to working time record keeping, annual leave and holiday pay calculations, and TUPE consultation requirements – while confirming that the vast majority of EU-derived employment law will remain (at least for the moment) unchanged.
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Labour party’s proposals to reform workplace rights - spotlight on unfair dismissal
18 May 2023The outcome of recent local elections indicates a Labour party victory at the next general election. In a series of articles, we'll explore what the employment law landscape might look like under a Keir Starmer-led Labour government by examining their wide-ranging proposals for reform. This first article spotlights Labour’s proposals to reform unfair dismissal laws. These changes, if implemented, will require many employers to change their approach to recruitment, performance management and dismissal.
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Investing in your employees’ mental health
18 May 2023As workplaces across the country mark Mental Health Awareness Week, employers are reminded why safeguarding employees’ mental health and wellbeing should be a business priority. What steps can employers take to address this critical issue proactively?
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Gender pay gap reporting in Europe: Pay Transparency Directive now finalised
17 May 2023The EU Pay Transparency Directive has been finalised and must be implemented by June 2026, making gender pay gap reporting compulsory for many employers across Europe.
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Government confirms plans to limit non-competes in employment contracts
16 May 2023The government has confirmed its plans to limit the length of non-compete clauses in employment contracts to three months, in a recently published response to a 2020 consultation on the topic.
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Ads & Brands Law Digest: April/May 2022
16 May 2023Welcome to the April/May 2023 edition of our Digest, covering legal and regulatory developments from the last few weeks relevant to advertising, marketing and brand-owning businesses. As usual, for each item we provide a succinct summary accompanied by a link to the full text of the relevant official source or our own report.
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E-signatures: Industry Working Group Final Report
15 May 2023The Industry Working Group on Electronic Execution of Documents has now published its final report on how to optimise the use of e-signatures in cross border transactions; it addresses the particular challenges, sets out recommendations for reform and also highlights the benefits of e-signatures in guarding against fraud.
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Factsheet - Skilled Worker
12 May 2023We have produced a useful factsheet for individuals navigating the Skilled Worker visa route.
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Beyond borders: Navigating diversity monitoring in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and beyond
11 May 2023By collecting and monitoring data, employers can progress their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. However, when employing staff across the United Kingdom, employers should be aware that there are important distinctions between the diversity monitoring requirements in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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The implications of proposed powers for councils to block slow developers: Sara Hanrahan comments for Planning Resource
11 May 2023A legislative tweak allowing councils to refuse applications anywhere in their area from applicants deemed slow to build out a site will be challenging to implement, may unfairly penalise smaller developers and could deter brownfield redevelopment, commentators fear.
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Government to cap non-competes and make limited changes to TUPE and Working Time Regulations
10 May 2023Non-competes will be limited to three months, rolled up holiday pay will be allowed and employers will not always have to elect representatives for TUPE transfers, according to the government’s Smarter Regulation paper released today. The government has also backtracked on the controversial sunset provision in the Retained EU Law Bill.
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Government backs new law on tips
09 May 2023Tips must be paid to staff in full and distributed fairly, according to a new law which started life as a Private Members’ Bill.
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JJ Shaw comments for Vogue Business on AI regulation and what brands need to know
05 May 2023Lewis Silkin's JJ Shaw explores upcoming AI regulation at UK and EU level, the key risks governments are seeking to protect against, and what this could mean for leading brands in the fashion space.
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New era for UK consumers protection
05 May 2023Giles Crown has summarised the most important aspects of the proposed changes in consumer law and regulation arising from the new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill. This includes some serious additional risks for all businesses targeting UK consumers, including for the first time direct enforcement by the CMA and large potential fines.
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WRC makes first decisions on European Works Councils operating in Ireland
04 May 2023In the first cases decided under Ireland’s legislation on European Works Councils, the Workplace Relations Commission has provided welcome guidance for multinational businesses that moved their European Works Councils to Ireland in light of Brexit.
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How to deal with a right to work information request from the Home Office
04 May 2023The Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement team can issue an Information Request to any employer where employment of an illegal worker is suspected. This is a preliminary step to a potential civil penalty notice being issued, which can be up to £20,000 per illegal worker. It is important to handle these requests proactively because an employer who responds accurately and promptly may receive a reduced penalty or avoid it completely.
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Hong Kong MPF updates: Abolition of the offsetting mechanism to take effect on 1 May 2025 and potential increase in mandatory contribution levels
03 May 2023Over the past weeks, there have been some important news on the pension regime in Hong Kong that employers and employees should be mindful of.
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Why we’ve chosen the Arbor building as our new London home
02 May 2023New office will help us meet our sustainability goals and has been purpose designed to support our hybrid working model
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Corporate Governance for UK companies – are you meeting statutory reporting requirements?
28 April 2023ESG remains a “hot topic”; this year, the Environmental pillar has been a key area of focus. Governance, the third pillar in the ESG framework, has not received the same level of attention, but is important for companies in the UK to consider, as they may be subject to corporate governance reporting requirements if they meet certain criteria.
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New guidance on positive action in the workplace
27 April 2023New government guidance on positive action clarifies some key points but stops short of addressing business needs on this issue.