Posts from November 2015
I really, really, really hate jargon.
Honestly, I just don't understand why people don't say someone died but they 'passed on'. You're not a plumber, you are in the water...
18/11/15Living Wage to increase productivity (ahem!)
The claim among more than half of employers is that the Living Wage will result in increased productivity. Whether this means getting...
18/11/15590 People Die because of Welfare Reforms
Perhaps it is time for Iain Duncan-Smith to revisit his welfare reforms, which seem to have resulted in 590 suicides and 279,000 cases of...
17/11/15House prices are STILL on the rise...
The Office of National Statistics has today released new figures, making it official : house prices are still going up. The number of...
17/11/15Uber, employment status and the commencement of litigation on English shores
As expected, proceedings have now been brought against the notorious taxi hailing firm, Uber in England in an attempt to determine...
17/11/15Rising House Prices in the South East
The latest from the Estates Gazette signals increasing prices and demand for housing in the South East, which is good news for the...
16/11/15Manchester, Leeds, South Oxfordshire, Reigate and Banstead... where development is forecast to rise...
Taking into account economic forecasts, expectations of job growth, housing supply & demand and the local authorities' planning policies,...
16/11/15Cash, value and climate change
A rise in sea levels? It's ok, I live on a hill. Melting glaciers? Great, the northwest passage will be passable. Increases in...
13/11/15Punks Part 2!
No sooner do I comment on the FCA addressing the CML about the needs of older borrowers than the Building Societies Association publish a...
13/11/15First Jose, now Clarkson!
Not that we needed it but here is another timely reminder that an individual can be sued in a personal capacity by a colleague for...
13/11/15The Bank of England warning about robots.
Production lines are already highly automated and the next step will be administrative, clerical and production jobs. Repetitive tasks...
13/11/15Should employers rely on bonuses to incentivise staff?
We all know that bonus and other performance related incentives are one way to incentivise staff (alongside other matters such as career...
12/11/15To EU or not EU?
Today we've seen David Cameron's four objectives for change mocked as "thin gruel" whilst recognised by some EU counterparts as "largely...
12/11/15When is "banter" discriminatory?
To pass any homophobic or racist comments off as banter seems completely out of touch with most people's views of such behaviour. But...
12/11/15Government Figures show 25% Increase in New Build Housing
DCLG has today released figures demonstrating that the number of new homes in the UK has risen by 25% over the last 12 months. The...
12/11/15Employees and crime. Between a rock and a hard place?
Football tends to operate by different rules to the rest of the business world. The level of pay, the fines, the lengthy fixed term...
12/11/15Part-time workers, holiday pay and changing hours; the nightmare continues
Actually, this most recent case is a helpful guide for what to do when a part-time employee increases their hours part way through the...
12/11/15Racial profiling and social media; a toxic mix for a global brand
Racial profiling is suspecting a person of certain behaviour based on stereotypes about their race, for example, bodily searching devout...
12/11/15Mortgage Loans and the ageing of the Punk Generation
The Punk Generation were recently described in the financial press as entering the "last time buyer" stage of their lives. Now the FCA,...
11/11/15Proposals to extend HMO licensing could hit student housing
The Government has published a technical discussion document intending to extend the scope of mandatory HMO licensing. At the moment, if...
11/11/153m people spend 2 hours commuting; is there a way to do it happily?
Well, like most things, it all depends. On the mode of transport, whether you get a seat, and most importantly your state of mind. ...
11/11/15Racial harassment in the workplace is still today's problem
One of the aspects I love about my job as an employment lawyer is the variety each day brings. Every time I think I have finally seen...
11/11/15Be consistent unless conduct is different
The recent EAT decision in MBNA Limited v Jones highlights the importance of consistency of treatment when dealing with disciplinaries,...
11/11/15Are you as ready for Black Friday as your staff will be?
Black Friday has become the biggest shopping day of the year and so retail businesses will be preparing for the massive crowds of...
10/11/15Have you ever wondered how to dress for success?
Is business dress a thing of the past? Does it depend on whether you are meeting a tech entrepreneur or an accountant? Is a tie ever...
10/11/15"Hay Bale Castle" developer to demolish house or face jail
After seven years of battling, it looks as if the case of the "hidden castle" has now finally been resolved. Mr Fidler was given a three...
10/11/15Public Law Project: The Value and Effects of Judicial Review
Last month, the Public Law Project published its weighty research paper on Judicial Review. It won't come of much of a surprise to those...
10/11/1580% of tenants don't want longer fixed tenancies
There is a political push from some quarters to give more certainty to tenants in the private rented sector by having compulsory 2- 3...
09/11/15Bank of America Merryl Lynch says Artificial Intelligence will wipe out jobs
This prediction is one of many, and as Charles Darwin said: it's not the weakest that die out but those that fail to adapt. My advice is...
09/11/15Be a man!
It seems that the top tip for women in getting equal pay is to be a man.
09/11/15