Discrimination
The ERRA will also make the following changes to the Equality Act 2010. 1. Remove the third party harassment provisions by repealing section 40(2) – 40(4); 2. Abolish discrimination questionnaires by repealing section 138.
Acas Code and small businesses
In March 2013, the Government has agreed to work with Acas to produce a "simple online guidance tool" to provide assistance to small businesses in connection with dealing with disciplinary procedures, and has asked Acas to consider how procedures for…
Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill 2013
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill 2013 (ERRA) will increase shareholders' rights in relation to directors' remuneration and amend the provisions of the Company Act 2006 which relate to disclosure of director's remuneration for quoted companies. The following key changes…
Changes to Employment Tribunal procedure
The ERRA 2013 will introduce the following changes to Tribunal procedure: Vary the rounding up of annual adjustments. Annual adjustments to various employment awards (including a week's pay for the purposes of calculating statutory redundancy payments and the basic award…
Growth and Infrastructure Bill 2012-2013
Proposals were announced by the Chancellor for a new type of employee ownership arrangement on 8th October 2012. Under these proposals employees would give up some employment rights in return for shares in their employer. The Growth and Infrastructure Bill…
Surrogacy and pregnancy and maternity rights
In C-D v S-T ET/2505033/11 the Newcastle Employment Tribunal made a reference to the European Court of Justice concerning whether under EU law, a woman who becomes a mother by way of a surrogacy arrangement should be entitled to paid…
Sickness absence review
The Government will introduce a health and work assessment and advisory service from 2014. The service will provide: A state-funded assessment by occupational health professionals for employees who are off sick for four weeks or more; Case management for employees…
Regulation of recruitment sector (employers)
The Government's consultation on its proposals to simplify and streamline the regulation of the recruitment sector closed on 11th April 2013. The proposals will seek to replace the current regime with a simple regulatory framework which will: Restricts charging fees…
Homeowner’s Fine for Breaching Planning Laws Justified
A homeowner who was fined £960 after he failed to comply with a local authority enforcement notice requiring him to demolish an unauthorised extension to his property has lost an appeal against his conviction and financial penalty. The Court of…
Patent Infringement Claim Denied on Multiple Grounds
A patent can only be granted when there is novelty in the thing for which the patent is sought. This is why it is critical that one’s novel designs do not become public knowledge: once they do, a patent application…