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Ireland: Increase in parental leave entitlements from 1 September 2020
01 September 2020As explained in our previous post from last year, from today, 1 September 2020, unpaid parental leave entitlement in Ireland increases from 22 weeks to 26 weeks.
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Engaging contractors through an agency – what are the legal issues when the contractor uses a limited company?
01 September 2020This article looks at the key points businesses should consider when seeking to engage contractors through an agency, with a focus on contractors who use their own limited company or personal services company.
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How is Covid-19 affecting Employment Tribunals?
27 August 2020Covid-19 has created a significant backlog problem in the Employment Tribunal. Employers are increasingly likely to see claims relating to furlough and/or a safe return to work, and many hearings will be dealt with remotely.
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The Hong Kong Court of Appeal affirms employees’ unfettered statutory rights to be paid their entitlements
27 August 2020In this Court of Appeal case of Xu Yi Jun v GF Capital (Hong Kong) Limited (CACV 502 & 577 / 2019), the Court considered whether an employer can withhold a bonus payment after the payment due date for reasons of alleged gross misconduct that had occurred prior to, and whether an employer can offset its unliquidated claim for damages against the bonus in legal proceedings.
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Legal update: It’s a T8 – should employees have the day off when WFH? Katy Lee and Tanya Mirchandani comment for Human Resources Online
Press
27 August 2020Many employers in Hong Kong follow the Labour Department’s “Code of Practice in Times of Typhoons and Rainstorms”, companies have put in place extreme weather policies that explain what employees are expected to do in the event of an extreme weather warning. Katy Lee and Tanya Mirchandani comment further in this article for Human Resouces Online.
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UK immigration strategies for EEA business travellers and workers from 2021
27 August 2020EEA nationals and their employers are now turning their minds towards how frequent business/work travellers and cross-border commuters can continue to come to the UK from 2021. For some, the best solution may be offered by the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), but there are also other options to consider.
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Lewis Silkin’s Hong Kong team contribute to Financier Worldwide’s Human Capital Strategy and Culture guide
Press
26 August 2020Financier Worldwide’s guide canvasses the opinions of leading professionals on current trends in human capital strategy and culture, particularly in light of Covid-19, across the US, UK, Belgium and Hong Kong.
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Transforming firm culture: Emma Richardson writes for The Law Society Gazette
26 August 2020The International Bar Association’s May 2019 report 'Us Too' showed what many of us suspected – that sadly, there is a widespread culture of bullying and harassment in parts of the legal profession.
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Could you be fired in Hong Kong for creating a “negative impression” on social media during your probation period?
26 August 2020Hong Kong’s Civil Service Bureau recently issued an internal memo, which was leaked to the press, that said department heads should dismiss employees on probation if they have been charged on suspicion of taking part in “unlawful public activities targeting specific or general policies, and/or decisions of the government”, e.g. unlawful protests.
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Your ten point plan for the Autumn
26 August 2020This infographic sets out ten key considerations for employers following the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Algorithms and employment law
25 August 2020This article explains why claims about algorithms and discrimination are likely to become more common in the years ahead, whilst UK employment law and enforcement mechanisms are ill-equipped to deal with them.
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Restrictive covenants in the recruitment industry
25 August 2020Restrictive covenants, also known as post-termination restraints (“PTRs”), are widely used throughout the recruitment industry to protect businesses from the impact of employees leaving to set up or join a competing business.
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Payback time? Types of Covid-19 pay-related queries that may arise
25 August 2020As the furlough scheme starts to wind down and redundancies become more commonplace, employers may face a host of pay-related queries, grievances or claims from employees arising from the workplace upheaval caused by coronavirus.
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What’s new in employment law - Hong Kong
25 August 2020The first half of 2020 has seen several employment law-related changes in Hong Kong, despite the city being hit by three waves of Covid-19 infections and working life changing as we know it.
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Linklaters to expand remote working as pandemic changes legal culture: James Davies comments for The Financial Times
Press
25 August 2020International law firm Linklaters will allow its more than 5,000 staff to work half the time remotely, the strongest sign yet that changes ushered in by the pandemic are beginning to take root in a legal industry that has long valued tight-knit office culture.
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Lewis Silkin advises Sideshow Group on its acquisition of Conversion
Deal
21 August 2020Lewis Silkin’s M&A team has advised independent marketing services group Sideshow Group on its acquisition of conversion rate optimisation specialists Conversion.
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Factsheet: Global talent - Digital technology applicants
20 August 2020We have produced a useful factsheet on the Global Talent Visa requirements.
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It’s a T8 – should employees have the day off when WFH?
20 August 2020Pre-2020, when there was no Covid-19 and employees generally worked in offices, factories, shops, etc. and not from home, the issuing of a Typhoon Warning Signal No. 8 (“T8”) by the Hong Kong Observatory would have been met with a mixture of concern about falling trees and personal and family safety, together with a little excitement at having an unexpected day off work. But what is the situation now for those working from home?
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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.