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Government announces new £250m ‘Future Fund’ to support start-ups and growth companies
20 April 2020Details were published today, 20 April 2020, of the Government’s plan to make investments in growth companies hit by the coronavirus and the drastic reduction in venture capital investment.
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Update on Hong Kong’s Employment Support Scheme (ESS) under the Anti-Epidemic Fund: what we know so far
20 April 2020On 18 April 2020, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Council gave funding approval for the second round of the anti-epidemic fund. This HKD$137.5 billion fund is set to be spread out over a variety of industries, with one of the main aims being job retention and job creation.
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Government plans to go ahead with reformed points-based immigration system despite COVID-19
17 April 2020On 9 April 2020 the Home Office released an update for employers on the new points-based immigration system due to take effect from January 2021. Despite the disruption caused by COVID-19, the Home Office still intends to go ahead with the new immigration system within the time-frame outlined in their policy statement released on 19 February 2020.
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Furloughing employees – new guidance on holiday pay
17 April 2020The government has updated its guidance on furlough for employers and employees, and this includes some important clarification on taking holidays during furlough and holiday pay.
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Does the management team of a professional services firm have the power to deal with an extended lockdown?
17 April 2020Like all other businesses, professional services firms are feeling the effect of the coronavirus outbreak and are having to take steps to ensure survival in a world of mass remote working, empty offices, a decline in clients seeking services and increasing financial pressures.
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Ireland: Coronavirus - FAQs for employers
16 April 2020The Coronavirus outbreak is rapidly becoming more widespread, raising numerous issues for businesses. We have prepared a comprehensive set of FAQs setting out guidance on all the main questions we are being asked from employers in Ireland.
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Bank of England issues discussion paper on a central bank digital currency
16 April 2020The Bank of England has issued a discussion paper on a central bank digital currency.
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HMRC puts its stamp on social distancing
16 April 2020With vast numbers of people now working remotely due to COVID-19 restrictions, HMRC have put in place an electronic process for the payment of stamp duty and stamping of share transfer documents.
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Furlough and insolvency – High Court ruling on Carluccio’s
16 April 2020The High Court has given a helpful judgment concerning the furloughing of employees by the administrators of Carluccio’s, the Italian restaurant chain.
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Tech developments in transport
16 April 2020The UK government has recently published two documents relating to transport. The first is a consultation on a regulatory review of the future of transport, and the other is a plan for decarbonising transport.
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Ireland: Changes to Ireland’s Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme announced
16 April 2020On 15 April 2020, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announced a further set of changes to the recently introduced Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme in the wake of recent comments in which he accepted there were certain “gaps” in the scheme.
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Coronavirus – FAQs for employers
15 April 2020The content in this article have been overtaken by more recent events and we have subsequently updated our guidance for employers on Covid-19.
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A Guide for Promoters on Managing Free Prize Draws and Competitions during the Covid-19 Pandemic
09 April 2020The current pandemic has disrupted everyone's life and business. Although not top of the agenda for most businesses, one question UK promoters are asking is how to deal with their ongoing free prize draws and skill-based competitions.
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Coronavirus - Hong Kong Relief Measures under the Employment Protection Scheme
09 April 2020On 8th April 2020, the Chief Executive held a press conference announcing that the Hong Kong government is to roll out a HK$137 billion (approximately US$80 billion) relief package by implementing the Employment Protection Scheme to assist individuals and businesses to ease the financial difficulties arising out of the coronavirus pandemic.
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Corporate Update - April 2020
08 April 2020Welcome to our April 2020 Corporate Update which brings you news and our views on law and practice for corporates and their owners and managers.
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Government announces the new Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS)
07 April 2020On 3 April 2020, the Government announced a new loan scheme to provide support for large businesses.
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Convertible loan notes and/or advance subscription agreements as a source of emergency funding: FAQs
07 April 2020Convertible loan notes and advance subscription agreements are typically used as alternatives to equity fundraising by growth companies or more established businesses looking for short term financing to get them to their next equity round (so-called “bridge financing”)
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Guidance for employers on how to manage apprentices during the coronavirus outbreak
06 April 2020Most businesses will be affected in some way by coronavirus, but apprentices may be particularly disadvantaged if they are unable to continue or complete their apprenticeship and gain their qualifications. What issues should employers of apprentices be considering?
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Employer not liable for sexual assaults committed by independent contractor
06 April 2020The Supreme Court has ruled that Barclays Bank was not vicariously liable for sexual assaults committed by an individual engaged by it as an independent contractor, as the relationship between the organisation and the contractor was not akin to an employment relationship.
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Lewis Silkin promotes three to partner across UK and Hong Kong
06 April 2020Julia Poulter (Real Estate), Bryony Long (Data Privacy) and Catherine Leung (Employment, Hong Kong) promoted to the firm’s partnership.