2008 - September
Already your staff are making noises about how cold it has turned. Your heating system has seen better days and obviously isn’t as efficient as more modern units. If you upgrade, can you get a tax deduction against your profits?
Although the personal tax-free allowance has been increased to £6,035, this still leaves you with extra NI to pay this year. What action could you take to counteract this reduction in your net pay?
With the collection and administration of tax becoming more and more complicated, the Taxman is increasingly making mistakes. What should you do if you receive an over-generous tax repayment?
Because of economic conditions you decide to trim your payroll and let a few employees go. However, is there anything you need to do to make sure your company gets a tax deduction for any pay-off involved?
Does your business use self-employed staff/contractors? If it does, what happens to VAT on, say, their overnight expenses? Can the VATman argue you can’t reclaim the VAT on any expense they recharge to you?
The Taxman has issued reminders to anyone filing a personal tax return for 2007/8, that there’s now a new deadline - October 31. Could this apply to you?
Have you ever worried that the Taxman might know something you don’t? Well, a recent Adjudicator’s case about missing bank interest could set your mind at rest. What do you now need to know?
Contract with the public sector?
Forthcoming legislation will require the public sector to implement formal equal pay review procedures. This may affect you directly as 30% of private businesses supply the public sector. Should you change your procedures anyway?
As a successful director, you naturally appreciate the value of insurance. You’re about to re-mortgage and are considering the payment protection options. But there’s a bewildering array to choose from. What should you look for?
You’re required to keep hold of an ever-expanding mass of documents relating to your company. What must you keep and when can you dispose of the contents of those bulging filing cabinets?
It’s time to sign your company’s Corporation Tax return. As you could end up paying a penalty if the Taxman’s computer rejects it, what simple steps can you take to avoid this?
Dealing with dodgy expenses claims
We all know that certain MPs are at it, but did you know that up to 20% of all employees fiddle their expenses claims too? How should your company tackle such a problem?
Hands-free doesn’t mean hands off
A recent prosecution shows that merely providing a hands-free kit doesn’t absolve drivers or their directors of liability. So what’s the latest?
Getting your business fit to sell
You’re thinking of selling up but want to get your business in good shape first. So what are the most important employee-related issues to consider when getting your business fit for sale?
How much is your injury worth?
If you thought that the days of your staff being pushed into seeking compensation for an injury were over, think again. So are there any basic steps that you can take to minimise the chances of a claim being successful?
Managing transport is much more than just loading and unloading vehicles. Failing to have a safe system of work in place led to a worker being seriously injured and a court appearance for his company. So what are the lessons?
Courts can now charge drivers with the offence of “causing death by careless driving”. What does this mean and will it affect employers?
Your forklift can’t be used...
You’ve employed an external training provider to complete a licensed forklift truck training course. However, following a brief inspection of your vehicle, they said that it isn’t safe to use and they’re leaving. What’s going on?
Staff playing games in their lunch break is not an uncommon practice at work. However, when a ball needs retrieving from a dangerous place, your staff may be putting themselves at risk. What happened in this particular case?
Investigators have identified that the fire that destroyed part of a Universal Studios site occurred despite stringent control measures being followed. How did it start and how can you prevent a similar incident?
As cash is tight, you’ve been looking to make savings wherever possible. But is cutting your health and safety budget a wise move, or could doing so land you in trouble?
Better searching in Windows XP and Vista
Windows Search, the desktop search engine that comes by default with Vista, recently released version 4.0. Is it worth the download?
Efficient file uploading with FTP
FTP helps you to upload files to your webserver so that you can publish them on the Internet. However, a good free FTP program is hard to find. What is the best solution to the problem?
A highlighter for your browser
You can often come across interesting pieces of information on websites. Did you know that you can “highlight” such bits of text before sending them to a friend or a colleague?
Turning streaming music into MP3 files
Do you sometimes tune in to your local Internet radio, or listen to Last.fm or Deezer? How can you record streaming audio as an MP3 file free of charge?
Exchange, Microsoft’s e-mail server, is typically used by large corporations. Even so, it offers many advantages for small businesses and even for home use. Here are a few services that make Exchange accessible to all.
Firefox owes its popularity largely to the fact that it can be extended by add-ons which add all kinds of extra options to the program. Here are some useful ones that are also compatible with the latest version of Firefox 3.0.
Are you thinking of starting a new business? You’ll need some assistance, so we went in search of some online tools which can help you in your new initiative.
With more people now on broadband, suppliers are keener to get existing users to switch. How can you find the best deal?
Photos for enhancing your webpages
Would you like to spruce up your blog postings or your website by means of a few pictures? Where do you find good or original photos which you can use without any copyright problems?
Make your next gift a personal one
Finding the right gift can be tricky, so why not try a personalised one? From chocolates to your own funky design on a shirt, the Web has something for everyone and for every occasion. We look at the best sites for personalised gifts.
If you say it, do you mean it?
Suppose that a local newspaper publishes an interview with you in which you say you wouldn’t hire people from a certain country because your customers wouldn’t trust them. Could this land you in trouble?
No notice, no redundancy pay...
A redundant employee agreed to a four-week trial period of alternative work but resigned shortly after saying he was entitled to a statutory redundancy payment. On what grounds could you refuse to pay him?
Extending probationary periods
Whilst it’s legal to extend probationary periods for new employees, there may be pitfalls to trap the unwary. What should you be aware of?
A former employee claims you breached the implied term of trust and confidence. You want to show that it was their own behaviour that first caused the breach. Is this enough to defend a constructive dismissal claim?
One of your employees has submitted a very late claim for expenses. You want to know if you must honour it and what can you do in future to stop unnecessarily late submissions. So what steps should you take?
An employee committed an act of gross misconduct. You waited a day then summarily dismissed before following the modified disciplinary and dismissal procedure. They claim the delay made it an unfair dismissal - correct?
Can you suspend an employee on medical grounds if they’re stressed and refusing to co-operate over a referral to a medical advisor? If so, under what circumstances and how do you go about it?
Private records of the director
Tax inspectors are routinely issuing formal notices to supply private documents. And a recent case highlights how this might be justifiable. Is there anything you can do to keep your private records private?
For Capital Gains Tax (CGT) purposes the key date is always the date of the contract. However, a recent case focused on a late reduction in price creating a new later date for CGT. What’s changed?
Normally, employees and directors are taxed on any company car you make available to them. However, if the driver was only a shareholder in the company, could you provide them with a car, tax-free?
Our subscriber was thinking of deregistering for VAT. However, a colleague has told them that they would be whacked for VAT on any assets and stock they have if they did so. Surely there must be a way around this?
Something to do with buy-to-let losses
Very often, property owners have more costs (loan interest etc.) than they have rents receivable. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to set off these rental losses against other income. However, there is something else you could do…
If your company’s board of directors meets at a local restaurant, could the cost of the meal be a tax deductible expense for the company?
Is incorporation still a good thing?
If you are already in a business partnership, can you still incorporate to reduce your tax bill, even though the old 10% tax rate for companies is long gone? What is the best solution in today’s tax world?
It’s now more common for people to marry later in life. If you both own property before you get hitched, what should you be aware of when considering the best ways to minimise your potential tax liabilities?
On May 1 the VATman yet again increased his scale rate for fuel used for private journeys. How should you deal with this in practice and are there any alternatives?
You’re thinking of taking on a senior employee. Understandably, the board wants to ensure this person can’t take the company’s business with them if they leave. What’s the latest on this?
The Taxman got into major problems when he lost the personal details relating to millions of people. As you hold lots of personal data, it’s got you thinking what your obligations are and what could happen if you lost it. What’s the latest?
In the current economic climate, it’s no surprise that company liquidations and administrations are on the increase. But what are your rights if you’re owed money by a business that goes belly up?
You might not have a contract of employment so that you can avoid paying yourself the National Minimum Wage (NMW). However, might there be a tax advantage in a director actually having one?
Your accountant has suggested that you ought to consider changing your company’s year-end. What might be the benefits of this and how can you do it with the minimum of disruption?
As the HSE are short of inspectors, it’s now asking building control officers to report breaches of health and safety legislation. What’s the latest?
Don’t let RSI cost your business dearly
According to HSE statistics, 115,000 new cases of musculoskeletal disorders, including repetitive strain injury (RSI), were reported in 2006/7. Is this likely to be an issue in your workplace, and if so, how should you manage the risks?
£25 for a fire risk assessment
Believe it or not, some companies are offering to complete fire risk assessments for just £25. Is this the bargain of the century, or is there a serious catch that makes this a deal you should avoid?
The HSE and local authorities are about to hit the streets again on their annual drive to remove dodgy ladders from the workplace. When does this campaign start and who are the prime targets this time around?
Responsibility for asbestos management
Your business premises were built in the 1970s so you suspect that they may contain asbestos-based materials. However, your landlord refuses to do anything about it saying it’s your responsibility. Are they right?
How many accidents have you had?
A question that crops up on most contractor selection questionnaires relates to your accident statistics. How should you answer this, and will the fact that your staff have suffered a few minor injuries go against you?
If you believe recent reports, you may think that brooms must be consigned to the dustbin and have to be replaced with expensive vacuum cleaning units. Is this the case, or has there been some “inaccurate” reporting?
Opera, forgotten but oh so good
Almost simultaneously with Firefox 3.0, the latest version 9.5 of the less popular Opera browser was released. What are the new features and how does it compare with the competition?
An extra POP or IMAP e-mail address?
Where can you still obtain free e-mail addresses of the POP or IMAP type - in other words, addresses which you can easily manage via your regular e-mail program?
These days, choosing and starting a new school are stressful and time-consuming tasks. Here we outline sites that give advice for anyone making those all-important decisions as well as those that can help with all aspects of parenting.
Do you have more than one computer on your desk? Together with two keyboards and two monitors, your desk will be pretty cluttered. So a KVM device or KVM software can save you a lot of space and money.
While Google has recently launched an online encyclopaedia, Britannica also has a couple of new features in the pipeline. Are they good alternatives to the popular Wikipedia?
Online Office for small businesses
Microsoft recently released Office Live Small Business, a free service that allows you, amongst other things, to create a personal or corporate website. How useful is the product?
A change is gonna come... probably
Apple TV, due to launch its movie download service, looks set to shake up the DVD rental sector. But with no confirmed date, we view the market leaders.
Useful tools for your digital snapshots
You probably have hundreds of holiday snapshots on your digital camera. Here are some useful tools for editing, processing and easily locating them later.
Google offers a wide range of useful online services, such as Google Docs, Google Reader and Google Calendar. Some of them can now be used offline as well. How does it work?
Search engine optimisation: tips and tools
To attract more visitors to your website, you should ensure better scores with the major search engines. To avoid calling in expensive consultants, here are some tips plus the accompanying (free) tools.
Every employer knows how important it is to have policies and procedures in place. But which ones do you really need and which ones might be superfluous? And how detailed do they need to be?
You know that you’re required to make reasonable adjustments to cater for an employee who’s covered by the Disability Discrimination Act. But where do you stand if you dispute the reasonableness of a suggested adjustment?
Disclosing selection criteria and scores
In the current economic climate you may have to make staff redundant so draw up a selection pool for dismissal. After consulting, must you reveal the reasons why you’ve selected those you have to let go?
Chief Constable under suspicion
Suppose you pay a night shift premium but fewer women than men can work these unsocial hours because of childcare responsibilities. Some are arguing that this amounts to sex discrimination. Are they right?
A former employee makes an unfair dismissal claim against you, but submits their form to the tribunal office 88 seconds past midnight on the last day for it to be lodged. Can you argue that it’s out of time?
Medical examinations and questionnaires
As you’ve been experiencing a high level of sickness absence, you want to use a pre-employment health questionnaire and introduce compulsory medical examinations. What are some of the key issues you need to consider?
You probably already know that the much-despised statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures will be abolished. But what will replace them?
From October 1, all commercial buildings will need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). What is it, and how do you go about getting one?
You’ve heard that new legislation is coming into effect which will change the rules on battery disposal. If this is correct, when is the law due to be implemented and what impact is it likely to have?
You’ve heard that the Carbon Trust has launched a new scheme by which you can gain accreditation for your environmental efforts. What’s involved and is it something that you should be considering?
Going green in the credit crunch?
You’ve been thinking about investing in renewable energy equipment to secure financial savings and to demonstrate to clients that you’re cutting carbon. Is this really sensible in the current economic climate?