Insights & News
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Finance Act 2020 widens the scope of IR35
19 August 2020Despite further attempts at delay, the final version of the notorious private sector IR35 rules are now enshrined in the Finance Act 2020, which received Royal Assent on 22 July 2020.
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Pink Mercs, Penalties and Scandal - What does Racing Point's plight teach us about dealing with sports' governing bodies and regulatory changes?
18 August 2020As the dust settled on Sunday's Spanish Grand-Prix you could be forgiven for thinking Racing Point F1 had a lot to feel good about. The team had their best points of the campaign with drivers finishing 4th and 5th - only behind the two Mercedes and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. However, as can often be the case in sport, in play success has been marred by regulatory trouble.
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Do your contracts and policies stand up to the Covid-19 test?
18 August 2020The coronavirus pandemic and lockdown have stress-tested employment contracts and policies, with some showing signs of strain. What should you do now to make sure your employment documentation is ready for the post-Covid future?
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Tips for managing grievances during the Covid-19 pandemic
17 August 2020Some sectors have seen high levels of employees on furlough or working from home. As restrictions ease and employees gradually start to return to “normal” working, this article considers the challenges HR may face in managing grievances that might arise during this time.
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Employers duties under the National Security Law from a Data Privacy Perspective
17 August 2020The Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (the “NSL”) came into force on 30 June 2020 and raises data privacy concerns for businesses operating in the city.
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Sports Q&A - Launching a new team brand – what do I need to consider?
17 August 2020The BlackLivesMatters movement has led to sports clubs reconsidering the appropriateness of their team names, mascots and nicknames.
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FAQS on Covid-19 planning reforms
14 August 2020Just before the pandemic outbreak, the Government issued the trailer ‘Planning for the Future’ announcing various proposed reforms to the planning system. This was to be followed by a White Paper in the spring but following lock-down the Paper was postponed. Instead, the Government concentrated on emergency measures to alleviate the crisis. As lock down eased, Boris Johnson launched ‘Project Speed’ aimed at getting Britain building again including a radical reform of the planning system. This has resulted in a flurry of legislation with more to come.
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Home Office makes important updates to COVID-19 concessions
13 August 2020Recent amendments to the Home Office’s COVID-19 guidance for applicants mean that more people will be able to make an application to switch immigration categories without the need to go abroad. The updates also have significant right to work implications for employers whose employees are covered by the grace period the Home Office has put in place until 31 August 2020.
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Home Office issues communications to sponsors about licence renewals
13 August 2020The Home Office has now started to make early contact with sponsors whose licences are due to expire up until the end of the year. These sponsors will be able to apply to renew their licences earlier than the usual maximum 90 days before expiry.
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Flexible working post Covid-19 - sea change or nothing new?
13 August 2020The coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdown has caused millions to work from home for the first time - an experience likely to cause a surge in requests for flexible working arrangements once most employees are asked to return to the workplace. This article considers the legal position and the practicalities for employers in dealing with flexible working requests.
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Coronavirus the impact on post-termination restrictions
12 August 2020As the Coronavirus lockdown slowly lifts, we’ve seen an increase in employee resignations as well as competitor recruitment activity. Will your post-termination restrictions stand up to the new challenges?
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Life’s a beach? Working remotely from Barbados
12 August 2020Barbados has announced a new scheme designed to encourage overseas individuals to relocate there and work remotely. What issues arise for employers if their employees want to do this?
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Handling allegations of criminal conduct: what should an employer do?
11 August 2020Recent events in the Conservative party have focussed attention on the question of what an employer (or indeed a political party) should do if one of its people is accused of committing a crime. A Tory MP has been accused of rape, but at the time of writing has not been charged. It transpires that the Chief Whip had been aware for some weeks of allegations of ‘abusive behaviour and threats’ made against the anonymous MP by a parliamentary aide. Despite this, no investigation took place.
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How does COVID-19 affect UK migrants accessing public funds and the NHS?
10 August 2020The COVID-19 pandemic has put questions around the rights of migrants to access public funds and the NHS into the spotlight. Migrants are allowed to access the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the ‘Furlough Scheme’) via their employer. However, there are limits to what government assistance some migrants are entitled to following disruption to their normal income, and access to free NHS healthcare may also be unavailable to some people.
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Cyber threats and how to be a good sport
06 August 2020The sports sector was recently identified as a target for cyber attackers in a report published by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The report highlights the cyber threats faced by the sports sector and suggests how to stop or reduce their impact on sports organisations of all sizes – from local clubs to national federations.
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Is FFP dead? Why Man City victory could mean major overhaul for UEFA rules: John Shea comments for Goal
05 August 2020Football's European governing body needs to revamp its rules around spending after a Champions League ban handed to Premier League side was overturned.
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Further details of new UK visa route for Hong Kongers
04 August 2020From January 2021, the UK will make a new visa route available for British Nationals (Overseas) and their dependants who are usually resident in Hong Kong. The route will lead to settlement after five years’ residence in the UK, with the option to apply for British citizenship becoming available for most participants after a further year.
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What is the benefit to employers of voluntarily submitting a gender pay report? Tom Heys comments for Employee Benefits
04 August 2020On 24 March 2020, the government announced that gender pay gap reporting obligations would be suspended. Despite the announcement over 2500 employers have gone on to publish their data, why have so many employers chosen to voluntarily report their figures? Tom Heys investigates in this article for Employee Benefits
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Home Office confirms COVID-19 immigration arrangements beyond 31 July 2020
03 August 2020In a last-minute update on 29 July 2020, the Home Office has pivoted towards a return to business as usual on immigration policy. Some significant concessions remain available until at least 31 August 2020, however there are a number of potential pitfalls for employers and individuals to be aware of.
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Schrems II - Practical steps on what to do next…
03 August 2020We have previously written about the now infamous ruling from the CJEU on 16th July 2020 (“Schrems II”) and the European Data Protection Board (the “EDPB”)’s FAQs issued on 24 July 2020, both can be found linked at the bottom of this article.