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These Are Your Rights If You Were Made Redundant Before Furlough Was Extended: Lucy Lewis comments for HuffPost
03 November 2020Hours before the UK furlough scheme was due to end at the end of October, the government announced it will now be extended until December – as part of new month-long lockdown restrictions in England, that will see the closure of pubs, restaurants, gyms, and non-essential shops.
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The ICO takes action in the offline data broking sector
02 November 2020The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (‘ICO’) has issued an enforcement notice to Experian giving it nine months to remedy non-compliant personal data processing that it considers to be in breach of data protection legislation.
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New national lockdown – what next for employers?
02 November 2020Following the government’s decision to impose a new lockdown in England and its sudden and unexpected reprieve for the furlough scheme, where does this leave employers and what issues should they now be considering?
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A briefing note on the immigration implications for Tier 2 workers of changes to salary, the Government’s Furlough Scheme and redundancy amid the COVID-19 pandemic
02 November 2020The COVID-19 pandemic has significant and wide-ranging economic as well as public health impacts. Businesses are feeling the side-effects of profoundly changed trading circumstances. This note will take you through the immigration implications of a number of actions you may be forced to take to protect your business due to the pandemic, taking into account Home Office guidance as this is updated.
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To mark Black History Month, we’ve looked at some of the ads that have been labelled racist in both the UK and further afield, but we’ve been shocked to identify the biggest offender of all
30 October 2020Author’s note: I always give careful thought before publishing offensive ads in articles or including them in presentations, but unfortunately, I think it is often essential so that the reader or audience can fully appreciate the story. Nevertheless, I should like to apologise for any offence that is caused by the ads included in this piece.
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Will remote working become the norm? Síobhra Rush comments for The Irish Times
30 October 2020In this article for The Irish Times, Síobhra Rush delivers insights on home working, employer obligations and pitfalls employers need to be aware of.
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Cybersecurity and remote working - One person's risk is another's opportunity: Victor Timon comments for the Irish Examiner
30 October 2020In this article for the Irish Examiner, Victor Timon comments on how Covid-19 and home working have caused cybercrime to spiral, providing an easier route into corporate systems.
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Home and away when working from home means working abroad
29 October 2020Covid-19 is causing many employees to ask if they can work from “home” for an extended period in an overseas country - for example, because it is their home nation or their family is based there. This article explains the potential legal issues and how to avoid the traps.
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Looming lockdowns and remote working – to what extent can employees be monitored?
28 October 2020With reports of businesses increasingly taking steps to monitor staff who are working remotely, this article discusses the legal considerations and how employers can strike an appropriate and fair balance between work and home life.
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Six pitfalls to avoid with the EU Settlement Scheme
27 October 2020Despite the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) being publicised as being simple and straightforward, there are many potential pitfalls for the unwary, particularly when the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic are factored in. To avoid them, it will be important for individuals to be aware of the scheme and to get to grips with it before the end of this year. This is because in some cases, assessments and actions will need to be completed by then, despite main deadline for the scheme not being until 30 June 2021.
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Dealing with Data Subject Access Requests
27 October 2020Receiving a Data Subject Access Request (a ‘DSAR’) can be tricky for any organisation. In addition to the additional work created for overstretched IT, HR and data privacy personnel, the potentially thousands of documents that a DSAR can cover need to be analysed, redacted and reproduced for the data subject, all within the deadline of a calendar month.
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The business lunch may benefit from a 'glorious' Covid loophole: Colin Leckey comments for Tech Register
26 October 2020Under guidance for UK regions placed under “high alert”, gatherings of people from different households are banned indoors and limited outside to six people only. But the rules, which apply to London and Birmingham among other places, say people can meet others if it is “reasonably necessary for work purposes”. In this article Colin Leckey comments on the loopholes for meetings and the risks they propose.
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New video sharing platform regulations - something to get twitchy about?
26 October 2020Does your website/app/platform allow the sharing of videos? Even just as an add-on to its main activities? If so new regulations governing video sharing platforms need to be on your radar.
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When working from home means working abroad (HK)
26 October 2020Covid-19 is causing many employees to ask if they can work from “home” for an extended period in an overseas country - for example, because it is their home nation, or their family is based there. This article explains the potential legal issues and how to avoid the traps.
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ICO publishes updated Data Subject Access Request guidance
23 October 2020Two and a half years after the GDPR came into force, the ICO have published their long awaited guidance on Data Subject Access Requests (“DSARs”).
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New changes to the Job Support Scheme – an open and shut case?
23 October 2020The Chancellor has significantly expanded the Job Support Scheme after objections from businesses, particularly those in tier two areas, that they are facing massively reduced demand but less support from the government than tier three businesses legally forced to close. Under the revised scheme, employees will have to work fewer hours and employers will need to contribute less in order to qualify. The changes could have a significant impact – but there is precious little time available to employers to take the steps needed to take advantage of the scheme before it comes into effect.
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Home Office publishes Immigration Rules for the new UK immigration system
23 October 2020Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules HC 813 was laid on 22 October 2020 and is the key document outlining the features of the Government’s Points-Based Immigration System, as well as simplifying the language and structure of some areas of the Rules. The new system will apply to EEA and Swiss nationals, aside from Irish nationals (EEA nationals). This insight focuses on some of the changes that are likely to be of most interest to employers.
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BA’s jumbo fine significantly reduced
21 October 2020In what has so far been a torrid year for British Airways (“BA”), the ICO decision to significantly reduce the level of fine it intended to issue following their data breach in 2018 is likely to be seen by BA as a glimmer of hope.
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As “proper” Brexit gets closer, what do commercial lawyers need to consider?
21 October 2020Businesses are having a tough year with the pandemic and now the spectre of a no-deal Brexit (and even if we do have a trade deal with the EU, there are still going to be many changes) isn’t making thing easier.
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Supreme Court housing case could increase scope for positive action in employment
20 October 2020Social housing places can be reserved exclusively for Orthodox Jews, according to the Supreme Court in a case which may have longer-term implications for employers considering taking positive action as part of their diversity initiatives.