2007 - October
If an employee works late, you might pay for their taxi fare home. However, the Taxman can have a problem with this and has recently set out his views. So what do you need to remember to do?
It would be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that “offshore = bad” with the spin the Taxman puts on it. So when could it be advantageous to have some of your surplus cash held offshore?
Gifts of assets are treated as transfers at market value so that a capital gain and potential tax liability can arise. What can be done to reduce or avoid such a tax charge when you make a gift?
Inheritance Tax (IHT) was supposedly given a facelift by the Chancellor in his recent Pre-Budget Report. So what action, if any, do you need to take now?
When you start a new business venture, it usually involves incurring certain costs before the company has even been formed let alone registered for VAT. So how far back can you go?
Imagine the scene. In the corner of your office is a large box full of bottles of wine and other “thank you” gifts from grateful suppliers. Then some bright spark suggests you might have to pay tax on them. Are they right?
Your children have sizeable sums in bank accounts funded by their grandparents since birth. Can you withdraw the money and spend it on their education or maintenance?
Like many successful directors, you may have invested in the buy-to-let property market. Whilst you’re probably in it for the long-term, how can you protect your investment against tenants who can’t or won’t pay the rent?
The company’s completed some work for a customer. Despite several gentle reminders that their goods are ready for collection they’re still sitting in your yard. Can you start charging for storage or simply dispose of them?
We’re not bound by an e-mail, surely?
You’re concerned that allowing everyone to use e-mail could lead to contractual problems for the company and personal liability issues for individual directors. Are you right to be worried and if so, what protection is available?
A colleague has told you that since October 1 your company’s articles have changed automatically, making it easier and quicker for you to take important decisions. What’s the truth?
You’ve heard about new directors’ duties and shareholders’ powers which came into force on October 1. Is this something to worry about?
You have a range of investments. To help you make the right investment decisions you need to call on the services of a financial advisor. Trouble is, there are many different types - which is right for you?
Has the topic of health and safety slipped down the priority list? Are your staff starting to fall back into bad habits? Or do you just want to check everything is OK? If so, why not use our quick fix audit document?
Are you a head tilter or a contortionist?
Do all of your staff sit in exactly the same way? Are all the desks in your office spotless? Unlikely. And you’re not alone! Why not follow our guide to spotting potential problems with display screen equipment users?
Are your fire doors protecting you?
You recently carried out an inspection of all the fire precautions in your premises, during which you noticed a few fire doors were propped open and others that wouldn’t shut properly. Are these major issues?
Workplace transport hits the news again
Yet again, the HSE has issued businesses with a warning to ensure they’ve managed the risks associated with workplace transport. What’s prompted the latest action and what should you be doing about it?
CDM co-ordinator accreditation
A colleague has told you that if you employ a CDM co-ordinator for a construction project, they must have certain qualifications and be a member of the Association of Project Safety. Is this the case?
Do you have to achieve perfection?
A colleague has told you that if an inspector visits your premises they’ll expect to see that every aspect of health and safety has been dealt with to the letter of the law. Are they right? To find out, we asked an ex-inspector. What did he say?
Three-month fireworks spectacular
From now until the middle of January, you need to ensure your business is protected from the risks associated with fireworks. What do you need to do?
Microsoft is now offering a selection of its Internet programs in one single package: Windows Live Suite. What does it contain?
Most people will be familiar with the Wikipedia encyclopaedia by now. But several “sister projects” have been launched since Wikipedia was created. What’s on offer, and how useful are these other members of the wiki stable?
When sending an important or sensitive e-mail, you will want a guarantee that it has reached its destination. There are various possibilities, but which of them are the best?
Watching TV programmes on a computer has been said to be the next big thing for some years. Now Joost has been officially released, we check the field.
A free office suite… courtesy of IBM
Microsoft Office is facing growing competition: after OpenOffice.org and StarOffice (contained in the Google Pack), there’s Symphony - a free office suite from IBM. It’s still in beta, so is it worth looking at yet?
Have you listened to this book yet?
MP3 players are great tools, not just for music and podcasts, but also for audio books. You can listen to your favourite writers or to interesting biographies while you travel around the country. eMusic has also discovered this market.
Listening to your music collection on the Web
Do you have a large collection of songs on your hard disk? By using MyTunesRSS, you can listen to your collection online and share it with friends.
You may have noticed that Google Maps is increasingly used on websites in order to show a specific location. Wouldn’t it be useful if you could place such an interactive map on your own site or blog as well?
Using a webcam, a microphone and an Internet-connected computer you can organise an online meeting. One day, this will be as common as using e-mail and the telephone. Here are some examples of videoconferencing services.
Online dictionaries (and reference sites) can be very useful. But it is not just a matter of choosing between the OED and Webster’s. Dictionaries come in all shapes and sizes - we check out the range on offer.
Like many employers, you’d like to be able to control what your employees do once they leave, e.g. prevent them from working for competitors. But how far will the law really allow you to go?
Early termination of a fixed-term contract
After engaging someone to work on a fixed-term basis, you now want to terminate the contract early due to unforeseen circumstances. Can you just go ahead and do this, and if not, what should you have in place first?
The statutory dismissal process requires an employee to notify you if they wish to appeal against any decision made. But what happens if an employee doesn’t set out the grounds in writing? Can you refuse to hear it?
Whose version of events counts?
In a race discrimination claim, the claimant must raise facts that suggest some form of discriminatory behaviour occurred. But is it just the claimant’s explanation of the facts that must be considered? What does a recent case say?
You might not think that you need a policy to control e-mail and Internet use. After all, isn’t it implied in an employee’s performance and conduct? However, a recent High Court decision might change your mind; what are the details?
If an employee leaves without giving notice, it may be tempting to sue for breach of contract. But following a new case, what must you be aware of first?
In order to reduce unnecessary recruitment costs, you’re thinking of setting up an employee referral scheme. What are their potential pitfalls and what should you have in place to help avoid them?
Every so often it transpires that errors are made with payrolls. If this results in an overpayment of the net amount to the employee and PAYE tax and NI to the Taxman, what can you do to get your money back?
You have an employee who works on a call out basis from home. So you think it’s a good idea to have a land line installed at his home but are not sure of the tax consequences. What’s the best way to save tax on home phone bills?
Recovering the VAT paid on most business expenses requires hard evidence and can be something of a chore. So what is the best method for calculating the Input VAT element when making mileage payments?
Playing second fiddle to an investor
Your company could achieve so much more with another round of funding. And you’ve found an individual who’s agreed to invest but on the proviso that your existing loan to the company is waived. What should you do?
E-filing for registered pension schemes has just been made mandatory by HMRC. How could this affect your company’s scheme?
The Taxman calls you his “customer” and promises you an excellent service. So if the person dealing with your case has been harsh, should you ask for it to be handled by someone else?
The suggestion is that rather than pay Corporation Tax, you could have some remuneration just over the lower earnings threshold to give you an NI record for the year. Does it matter when you pay this?
One of your directors has a heavy right foot and was pulled over for speeding again yesterday. The company’s insurance premium is taking a pounding and you’ve had enough. What are your options?
The latest on a spouse’s dividends
Did your spouse receive a dividend from your company during the tax year 2006/7? If so, do you need to refer to it on your tax return?
A personal loan for the company?
Your company experiences short-term cash flow problems from time to time but doesn’t want to go cap in hand to the bank. Could a director borrow the money personally and pass it on to the company?
If an employee has to stay away from home on business what extras can the company pay for? And would this apply to you too? How can you maximise legitimate expense claims whilst away from home?
A colleague’s just told you that essential roadworks will be carried out adjacent to your premises for six weeks. The effect on trade could be significant. What can you do about it?
Remortgaging investment properties
You need a sizeable wad of cash for your latest project and are looking at selling an investment property to raise it. However, is there a way to release your equity without selling it?
Many of our subscribers have received letters recently, informing them that they need to get a licence to play music in their workplace. Is this really the case, and why the sudden rash of letters?
One of your managers is convinced that you’ll have no problems from an inspector if he sees everyone wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). His view is that they’re safe and that’s it. Is an inspector likely to take the same view?
According to recent findings, shoes called “Crocs” are a health and safety hazard and should be banned from the workplace. Is this really the case?
Is training on correct lifting techniques the answer?
Some of your staff have suffered back injuries whilst working in your warehouse, so you’ve decided to put them on a manual handling course to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Is this really the best way to prevent further injuries?
The HSE has stated that they will be paying close attention to the correct use of quick hitches (used to connect attachments to excavators). What will inspectors want to see if they inspect your site?
You’ve been under the impression that an inspector will want to see a risk assessment to cover absolutely everything you do. Is this really the case or are there other, more practical, ways of managing the risks in your workplace?
Lessons from the Penhallow Hotel fire
A recent fire at a Cornish hotel raised significant safety issues which all businesses should be aware of. What happened and what lessons can you learn from this incident?
When a member of a council’s workforce went missing for 24 hours, his colleagues barely paid attention to the fact. That is, until the case ended up in court. What happened and how can you avoid a similar experience?
Pandora’s dead, long live Deezer!
For some time now, the excellent radio station Pandora has not been available in the UK. Fortunately, a new player has entered the scene: Deezer. Does it offer equally good streaming music?
Whether you’re using Windows XP or Vista, the integrated Windows Explorer is a rather poor file management tool. Here are some tips to improve this function, as well as some alternatives.
Your address book contains lots of valuable information. What do you do if you wish to switch to another e-mail application? And how do you keep your addresses up-to-date?
Do you possess dozens or evens hundreds of films on DVD? Then you will want to have a good overview of your collection, especially if you also lend disks to friends or family. Using dedicated software, this is not too difficult.
Finding a good web hosting service
If your website is gradually outgrowing the space and the possibilities offered by your Internet provider, you will have to start looking for a good, professional web hosting service. How do you get started?
There’s music in your mobile phone
Most modern mobile phones come with a variety of cool ringtones. However, if they don’t please you, you can also download ringtones or even create them yourself. Where and how?
Most businesses have several computers which are connected in a local network. Is this network becoming too complex? Here are some tools for monitoring and managing your network from one central computer.
There are many potential markets for your business outside of the UK. For anyone thinking about exporting, we look at sites that can help you make such a venture a success for you and your company.
Social networking has become a popular way to build up contacts, and now there are online networking sites for businesses too. We take a look.
OpenOffice, the free alternative to Microsoft’s Office suite, also lets you install free add-ons which add extra functions to the program. We check what they can do to improve functionality.
If you consciously treat a worker less favourably on the grounds of their sex you will have committed direct sex discrimination. But did you know that you could be vulnerable to a claim even if your decision is unrelated to sex? Read on.
Compromise agreements can be a useful way of helping you get rid of troublesome employees. But following a new case, why is it so important that you ensure that the wording used is spot on?
Must we provide private health insurance?
You’re happy to allow an employee to work beyond 65 for a year. However, you’re finding it difficult to extend his permanent health insurance for this period. Where do you stand if you can’t obtain a policy, or it’s just too expensive?
You’re reviewing your disciplinary procedures and looking to re-define the type of behaviour which qualifies as gross misconduct. What areas should you consider and how do you make staff aware of these changes?
Employment law training can be a huge investment and, not unnaturally, many employers are reluctant to spend the money. But is this a false economy? What can you learn from the following examples?
You’ve found a bird’s nest in one of your buildings and would like to get rid of it. However, you’re not sure whether doing so is legal. Is it, and if so, what options do you have?
A colleague has informed you that you could make big savings on your water bill if you have a system installed which gathers rainwater - apparently it even qualifies for tax breaks! Are these systems as good as they claim?
A subscriber contacted us for clarification when a consultant informed them that putting in an environmental management system would lay them open to public scrutiny. Were they right to seek further advice?
Five-stage plan to reduce your waste line
As waste is likely to be costing your business at least 4.5% of turnover every year, you need to take steps to cut it. So why not follow our five-stage plan to help reduce your refuse?