2008 - May
Dealing with below par performance
A subscriber has a manager who just isn’t pulling his weight and it’s now causing resentment amongst his team. He’s a popular employee, but with a big project about to start, how should they best deal with him?
You might think that if your workplace has a culture of banter, that there’s no legal risk. However, a new case has cast doubts on this. What’s the latest news?
The pros and cons of secret cameras
Every employer’s nightmare is to find that a trusted employee has had their hand in the till. But where do you stand legally if you want to use hidden cameras to identify the culprit? And what else should you consider?
Making “staff wellbeing” work for you
As you may be aware, the government is now pushing the concept of “wellbeing” to all employers. What does this entail and what can you do that costs little but could help see a reduction in sickness absence levels?
You’ve an employee who is on maternity leave. What steps should you introduce to ease her back into work whilst minimising the risk of a pregnancy-related discrimination claim being made against you?
Really something to worry about?
It’s been more than four years since laws dealing with discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief were introduced. Has the legislation caused many problems for employers? And is it something you really need to worry about?
Alternative employment - what about this job?
As part of a fair redundancy procedure, you have to explore alternative employment. So what’s involved in offering an alternative job and what are the implications if the employee either says “yes please” or “no thanks”?
Your nuptials are planned for June, so now could be a good time to talk to each other about the tax aspects of the new legal entity you’re about to create. OK, but just what exactly should you be talking about?
Expenses incurred in setting up a new business can be treated as if incurred on your eventual first day of trading. However, if you’ve an existing business why can’t you claim those expenses right now?
Didn’t leave enough in the company
If it comes to light when you prepare your company’s accounts that you’ve got an overdrawn director’s loan account, what is the best way of dealing with this? Is it really a problem?
Deduction for a website, 2008/9 style
Many SMEs have a website, if only to provide a national presence or allow customers to check them out before placing an order. This can be costly to set up and maintain. So what’s the best way to get a tax deduction for all this?
You’ve been approached by some of your employees to run an internal “Christmas savings club”. Amounts would be deducted from salary and paid into a bank account. But what are the tax implications of this for the company?
A professional opinion of your bookkeeping
If the Taxman asks your advisor for their professional opinion on your bookkeeping, is this really something for you to worry about? How should you both respond?
You can still legitimately shift income from one spouse to another in order to gain a tax advantage. But how much can you actually save by doing this?
Nothing ventured, nothing gained
You’re already a director of your own company, but a friend has approached you with a new business idea. It’s likely to make a loss in the first year due to set-up costs. However, is there is a way to use this to your advantage?
The company is organising a sponsored bike ride that you’d like everyone to take part in. Trouble is, you’re worried about the health and safety brigade and the risk of liability coming back on the directors. What’s your position?
If you receive a call from someone promising to slash your electricity bill, should you be interested?
After spending hours choosing a holiday it’s understandable that little time is spent on insurance. In fact, you opted for the first you were offered. Why might this prove to be a mistake?
Varying the director’s contract
Your company recently hired a new executive director (who’s also an employee). However, you’ve just noticed that you made a mistake in the offer letter and now want to vary the contract to the way intended. Any problems?
You’ve found a problem with a contract that could prove costly to put right. You used a sub-contractor and would like to pass the cost on to them but they’re relying on a small print exclusion clause. What’s your position?
Your website in all types of browsers
You obviously want your website to be viewed properly by as many visitors as possible. That means making sure that your site looks good in all the major browsers. How can you find out whether this is the case?
Malware still constitutes a major computer threat, but fortunately there are some excellent programs protecting you against viruses and spyware. Avast Antivirus was recently revamped and improved. How does it compare to AVG?
HSE prosecute forklift truck driver
If your employees ignore your safe systems of work and there’s an accident, will you always be held accountable? What does a recent case indicate?
The virtual globe, courtesy of Google and Microsoft
Both Google and Microsoft offer freeware which allows you to zoom in on any spot on the globe, often with spectacular views. What are their strengths and differences?
The credit crunch plus the rising energy and food prices are causing people to take a hard look at their personal spending. Can the Web help cut your costs?
Everyone knows about major international news sites such as CNN and BBC. Here are some smaller, but more original sites that can help you to find news.
Efficient and productive use of e-mail
If you think you spend too much time handling your e-mail and that leaves less time for other tasks, here are a few tips that will allow you to handle your e-mail more productively.
Here’s help in planning a meeting
If you often work with several other people, busy agendas generally make planning a meeting quite a chore. We compared two tools that can help you.
Falling house prices, negative equity and hefty stamp duty bills may have made you one of the many UK homeowners who are preferring to “improve, not move” by extending or renovating your current property.
More and more people own a smartphone, since this enables them to be online on the road. Where can you find extra software to tailor your smartphone to match your needs?
How can you safely install fonts in Windows XP and Vista, and where do you find them? And does the recipient of your documents see your fonts correctly?
Do we have to follow our risk assessments?
You’ve employed a consultant to help you complete risk assessments. As a result, you now have new rules and procedures to follow that you hadn’t bargained for. Do you really have to adopt all of them?
What goes in the health and safety file?
The preparation of the health and safety file is a requirement of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. But what information must go into it? Is it the same as the Building Regulations logbook?
Risk assessment for decorating
You’re thinking that it’s about time your office was treated to a lick of paint, but you’re not sure how to assess the risks involved. So why not use our example risk assessment document, which includes ways to manage the work safely?
The Ministry of Defence has just found to its cost why it shouldn’t ignore medical advice from a GP and an Occupational Health Practitioner. What happened and what can you learn from this particular case?
Delivering goods to high-risk areas
Recently, some of your delivery drivers have reported that they fear for their safety when they have to deliver goods to certain neighbourhoods. How seriously should you take these claims and what can you do to reduce the risks?
Five-year rule for office seating
An employee has said that their chair needs to be replaced because it’s more than five years old. According to them, older models don’t provide sufficient support and are likely to be the cause of health problems. Are they right?
The 2008/9 tax codes have now dropped through everyone’s letterboxes and you’ve had quite a few confused members of staff looking to you to decipher them. Is there an easy way to work out if they’re on the right code?
Relying on a verbal resignation
One of your employee’s has announced that he’s resigning his position in order to go travelling. He says that his mind is made up, so is it safe for you to accept his verbal resignation, and if not, why not?
When an employee goes absent from work without your permission and makes no contact with the company, what can you do? Is it safe to assume they’re not coming back?
Due to the nature of the market, it’s useful to retain as much flexibility with staff as possible; even as a precautionary measure. How can mobility clauses allow you to do this, particularly in light of a recent Court of Appeal case?
Recent amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act have introduced some far reaching changes to maternity rights. What’s the latest news?
You’re about to make an offer to someone whose current employment contract contains a restrictive covenant. You’ve been warned that working for you could amount to a breach of that covenant. What’s your position?
A client has complained about how an employee dealt with a telephone query. The allegation is fairly serious, but you have no independent evidence to prove or disprove it. Can you discipline and if so, under what circumstances?
When couples split up the last thing on their minds is likely to be the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) implications of their actions. What are the traps concerning the joint assets (e.g. the matrimonial home) and how can they be avoided?
Is it a bird, is it a plane… no, it’s a van!
Some tax inspectors are questioning the benefit-in-kind that comes with a company van used for private journeys (other than ordinary commuting). How can you ward off this latest attack on a legitimate piece of tax planning?
For some of our subscribers, the tax credit renewal process for 2007/8 does not appear to have gone as smoothly as it should have done. How can you make sure you don’t lose out if this happens to you?
Landlords get £50,000 to spend
As a landlord, you may have to purchase equipment and machinery to assist in managing your properties (such as a carpet washer or even a drill). How should you go about claiming a tax deduction for these?
Paying for goods/services with the company credit card is pretty run of the mill stuff. However, you might not be claiming all the VAT you are entitled to. What exactly should you be looking out for when you complete your next VAT return?
What’s new for the 2007/8 return?
The new 2007/8 personal tax return forms (or requests to complete one online) have started to arrive in the last few weeks. So what’s new this year and when do you actually have to complete it by?
If your employees work at home on a regular basis, what can they claim for? The Taxman has just changed his advice in this area; should you?
A recent report shows that 59% of companies selling via the Internet may be breaking the law. Could this include you?
Unauthorised overdraft charges
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has successfully challenged the banks in court over their unauthorised overdraft charges. If you’re affected by this issue - more likely during the credit crunch - what are your options?
Reducing your occupiers’ liability
A subscriber has been in touch wanting to know exactly what the phrase “occupiers’ liability” means and how, if at all, it might affect the company and its directors. So what’s to know?
Interested in a tax-free £4,000 lump sum?
A fellow director has told you that his accountant has recently added £4,000 “tax-free” to his director’s loan account, for the use of his car by the company. Is this something you should be doing too?
In a “get tough” Business Brief the VATman has inadvertently reminded us of a useful VAT planning arrangement that can help with cash flow. How could you possibly take advantage of this?
Late for a meeting, you parked in a private car park. On your return, you found that your car had been issued with a £75 ticket. You ripped it up as you assumed that private landowners couldn’t issue tickets. But is this right?
Things are getting a bit cramped at home. Instead of moving house you’ve decided to build an extension. Can the company pay for this without you having to draw funds out of it first? What if an office is part of it?
Allergic reactions to latex gloves
Following a warning from a colleague, you’ve decided to review the gloves your staff use. At the moment some wear latex ones, but apparently they can cause an allergic reaction. Are there any alternatives you can issue instead?
The HSE has commissioned a telephone survey on the management of asbestos. Who’s making the calls and how should you act if you get one?
A colleague has just purchased a new “executive” chair. However, when you looked at the one they’d chosen, you realised that it wasn’t really suitable for prolonged screen-based work. Do you need to worry about this?
Legal requirements for safety signs and notices
A new member of staff has asked where all the health and safety notices and signs are. He was under the impression that particular ones should be displayed. Is he right, and if so, which do you need to have?
Playing the contractor questionnaire game
Hardly a day goes by without another competency questionnaire landing on your desk. And each one seems bigger and more complicated than the last. Do you have to complete them, and if so, is there a trick to doing them quickly?
Maintenance and temporary work failings
The steel manufacturer,Corus, has just been fined following an accident in which an employee suffered severe burns. How did it happen and what can you learn from this particular case?
An employee has been off sick for a while and you want to avoid losing him to long-term sickness absence. So how should you deal with his GP in order to try to rehabilitate him back to work in some capacity?
If you’re interested in a particular topic, it may be useful to visit a “webring” devoted to this topic. Here’s the lowdown on webrings, where you can find them and how you set about joining one.
More and more people employ a wireless network for connecting several computers or accessing the Internet. How can you make sure your own Wi-Fi network is safe? After all, you don’t want just anyone surfing via your line…
How to have a fun-filled winter break
Keeping the family entertained before and after Christmas isn’t easy. And if you have kids, it’s even more difficult! We’ve checked out some sites that can help everyone make the most of the winter holiday.
Our previous issue presented the basic features of Google’s Gmail service. Here are some extra tools and tips.
Internet Explorer (IE) is finally facing a serious competitor. Indeed, the free Firefox browser is taking the Internet community by storm. Just how good is it?
Gift tips for PDAs and MP3 players
PDAs or MP3 players have become hugely popular over the past few years. Here are a few suggestions for practical accessories for your portable devices. With just a week left to Christmas, they might be what you are looking for!
Are storage heaters really a green option?
You need to heat an additional building, but as your boiler is already being used at full capacity, you need to look at independent units. You’ve heard that storage heaters are the most efficient and greenest option; is this true?
What’s the latest on tax-free status?
If you’re making a termination payment to an employee, such as pay in lieu of notice (PILON), should you deduct income tax and NI contributions at source or is it free of tax only up to £30,000?
Potential savings down the drain
According to Envirowise, UK businesses are wasting 310 million litres of water a day. What can be done about this and is it really worth worrying about?
When is it safe to shred personnel records?
These days, you have to keep a stack of information on your staff. When is it safe to dispose of these records without falling foul of the law or exposing yourself to liability in a legal claim?
Following principles laid down by the House of Lords, the first tribunal decision on the rights of part-time workers to benefits has now been made. What was the finding and how should you approach this tricky issue in future?