2009 - September
Time for directors to cash in on bonds?
Your financial advisor recommended a bond as a tax-efficient investment for a rainy day. That was ten years ago and next April it will mature, just in time to get clobbered by Darling’s higher taxes. What are your options?
Must you provide a particular employee?
Sometimes a company will secure a contract only because it employs a key member of staff. But it’s always possible they could resign. So how can you prevent a breach of contract claim from arising when they walk out the door?
Time spent in the director’s chair
One of our subscribers has been told that because directors often spend most of their time on employment duties and not “directing” their company, the National Minimum Wage (NMW) legislation applies. Could this be a problem for you?
What’s the highest rate of interest you can charge?
Late payments are an increasing problem for smaller companies. So you might be thinking about charging a higher rate of interest to prevent the problem altogether. What’s the latest from the Court of Appeal on this?
Making the most of business travel
“Value for money” has become the mantra for cash-strapped businesses. So you’re interested when a co-director tells you that she knows how to get a tax break on the cost of a short trip for herself and her partner. What’s to know?
Are greater penalties on the way?
You might have heard that from April 1 2010 the Information Commissioner’s Office will have new powers to fine companies that breach the Data Protection Act 1998. Is this really true and, if so, what’s the penalty?
The end is nigh - Companies Act 2006
The last of the changes introduced by the Companies Act 2006 (CA) took effect on October 1. Here are three we’ve looked at; we think you should too.
There’s music in your computer
There are plenty of websites where you can listen to songs without worrying about whether you’re breaking the law. We’ve had a look at what’s currently on offer, so which sites deserve a visit?
Netbooks - small, compact notebooks - are cheaper than ever these days. Do these low prices tempt you? What should you pay attention to when buying a netbook and what are the differences with an ordinary laptop?
Calling and surfing on the Google phone
The iPhone has been around for a while now, but Smartphones based on Android, the “Google phone” operating system, are a bit more recent. The second generation of Google phones has now arrived, so how good are they?
Postbox: Thunderbird plus some extras
The new Postbox e-mail program is based on Thunderbird, but it claims it has much more to offer. Are there enough useful extra features, besides a better design?
It may be necessary at times to access a computer in another location “remotely”. Services and software such as GoToMyPC and VNC make this possible. What exactly do they do?
Opera 10: speed in a great wrapping
Opera has been vying for the third place in the browser war with Apple Safari and Google Chrome for a long time. Version 10 of this high-quality browser now comes with several useful new features. Is it worth giving it a try?
Archiving keeps your e-mail program healthy
Are you still preserving e-mails which are several years old in your e-mail program? Can this cause problems, and how can you archive old mails in Outlook and Thunderbird?
Protect your privacy in Facebook
Facebook has promised to offer better protection for the privacy of its 250 million members. That’s good news, but how about protecting yourself? After all, in a social network you don’t want everyone to know everything about you.
Have you ever felt the need to learn a new foreign language or improve your current knowledge for a business or holiday trip? Here are some websites which help you to boost your knowledge of languages.
Health information services for all
The NetDoctor website has been relaunched with new features. With swine ‘flu still in the news, it’s time to check out NetDoctor and its competition.
Dealing with unsuccessful promotions
You’ve decided to promote an employee, and whilst you’re pretty sure they’ll meet your expectations it’s possible that they won’t. So is there anything you can do to protect yourself if things don’t work out?
Many of you have been asking questions about the legal status of workplace mediation. So for those wishing to use it, where does it fit in with employment tribunals and what happens if there’s a problem afterwards?
Answering questions about a sick employee
When an employee is off sick other members of staff are naturally inclined to ask after their wellbeing. They might even need to know when they’re due back. But could disclosing any such details land you in hot water?
I’ll have my stuff back, please
One of your employees is about to go on maternity leave. She has a company laptop and mobile phone and you’re tempted to ask her to hand these over to her temporary replacement. But why could this cause you a problem?
Can I bring my Mummy with me, please?
You need to discipline a younger member of staff and have notified them about the hearing. Trouble is, their mum also works for you and they’ve nominated her as their workplace representative! Can you object to their choice?
A major rail company recently came unstuck when all of its drivers refused to work on a Sunday, leaving 45,000 passengers stranded. So what did this employer miss out of its contracts that would have avoided the problem?
A scheme has been launched to put unemployed graduates in touch with employers who need their skills. Should you jump at it now, or bide your time?
Stories are surfacing that the unions have proposed that high-heeled shoes should be banned from the workplace on health and safety grounds. Have they got a leg to stand on, and if so, what do you need to do?
A member of staff is convinced that they’re getting bitten by fleas or bugs whilst sitting at their desk. They’ve even threatened to stop coming to work if you don’t do something about it. How should you deal with this situation?
Is asbestos legislation changing?
You’ve heard that the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 are being amended in October. If this is true what’s on the cards and how might the changes affect your business?
Failed to prevent a fall from height
A property development company was fined over £90,000 after an accident left an employee paralysed. How did it happen and what can be learned from this particular case?
A recent case which ended up in the House of Lords resulted in a significant decision on what constitutes work equipment and where responsibilities lie. What was the outcome and what impact, if any, could this have on your business?
Do you have to report all broken bones to the HSE?
Although you’ve always been under the impression that all accidents which result in broken bones have to be reported to the HSE, you’ve now heard otherwise. So which ones are not reportable?
New standard for extinguishers
The British Standard for fire extinguisher maintenance and commissioning has been revised recently. What’s new and how might the changes affect you?
Claiming VAT on domestic costs
We received a question from a subscriber who asked whether he could reclaim VAT on the costs of using a room in his house. The simple answer is “yes”, but as you would expect there’s more to it than that. What’s to know?
Short life equals earlier tax relief on equipment
We’ve been dusting off our old tax manuals looking for ways to dodge the Taxman’s new rules on capital expenditure and speed up tax relief. We found something that could do the trick for some businesses. Is yours one of them?
A potential customer says they’d like to do business but can’t afford your prices. They suggest an exchange of services. Is this something you should consider, and if so, could there be a tax advantage?
Taxman helps himself to more tax on dividends
The rules for working out tax on dividends from foreign companies changed for 2008/9. But if you follow the Taxman’s advice when filling in your self-assessment return, you may end up paying too much tax. So, what should you do?
Mileage allowances for contractors?
You’ve probably heard of the Taxman’s Mileage Allowance Payments Scheme (AMAPS) for directors and employees. But did you know you could also pay this rate to your contractors, possibly saving you both a little tax? How does it work?
Don’t miss the other October deadline
Ages ago you read somewhere that October 5 is an important deadline for tax. But everyone seems to be talking about October 31. Was it your imagination or is there something you should be doing now?
Employment contracts often contain pay in lieu of notice (PILON) clauses. How can you ensure any payment made under them is tax and NI-free? What’s the latest?
What’s cheaper - buying or making signs?
Is it worth having a “Blue Peter” moment and breaking out the sticky back plastic and laminating machine to make your own signs? Or is it much cheaper and easier to buy what you need?
If you’re 100% positive that there’s no asbestos-containing materials in your premises, you should make this clear to your staff, contractors etc. The easiest way to do this is to use our brand new asbestos statement.
Director fined for smoking in his office
News about smoking fines is pretty rare, so you might be thinking you can get away with a sneaky fag behind closed doors. A recent case proves otherwise. What’s to know?
Sorry, we forgot to tell you about that
When you employ a contractor to work on your site you must make them aware of any potential hazards. If you don’t, as this case proves, serious accidents can happen. How can you get the appropriate information across?
The coroner who led the inquest into the Penhallow Hotel fire has raised concerns on the new fire safety regime. Is this likely to force a change of approach from the Fire & Rescue Service. If so, what’s on the cards?
A positive duty for directors?
Directors are once again coming under pressure to assume a personal role in managing health and safety. What’s driving this and is change really likely?
A member of your cleaning staff has reported that they’ve found a discarded syringe in a wastepaper bin. How could it have got there and what, if any, steps can you take to prevent this from happening again?
If a process goes wrong and you cover your neighbour’s premises in coal dust, it’s unlikely that you’ll win much favour in the community. What happened to the company that allowed this to happen in the town of Rugby?
Hazardous waste registration changes
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) recently published an amendment to the hazardous waste legislation. What changes did it bring in and will they have any impact on your business?
Are there benefits in buying “green” stationery?
Nowadays, there’s a “green” option for almost everything you purchase, but in many cases there’s little benefit in buying it. Is this the case with green stationery products?
Disposing of contaminated drums legally
A recent case has identified what can go wrong if you fail to comply with the terms and conditions of a hazardous waste management permit. What happened and what can you learn from this particular case?
Is it worth signing up to the 10:10 campaign?
You’ve noticed that many firms are signing up to the 10:10 campaign, which has been heavily promoted in the press. What’s it all about and is it really something that your business should get involved in?
Certified environmental management systems
You’ve heard that if you follow the principles outlined in the British Standard BS 8555:2003, it will help you to ensure legal compliance and formalise your environmental management arrangements. Is this something to go for?
Largest fine for packaging offence
Drinks manufacturer, Red Bull, has been fined over £250,000 for packaging waste offences. Why was the fine so large and how could it have been avoided?
P11Ds and your 2009/10 tax code
Many of our subscribers are currently receiving notices of amended tax coding for no obvious reason. Why is this, and what should you do if you receive an unexpected change in your code?
Directors’ help with health and safety at work
The HSE says directors should follow its guidance on how health and safety should be managed in the workplace. So, are you legally required to do this and what could happen if you don’t?
A cheaper debt recovery option
Suppose your company is owed several thousand pounds, and you want to sue the debtor. A solicitor could do this for you but it comes at a cost. So why not tweak the figures and avoid their fees?
More businesses must now register under the Money Laundering Regulations. There can be fines or worse for directors breaching the rules. What’s the story?
Do you have some foreign films sitting on your hard disk which have no subtitles? Or would you like to provide your home-made video with subtitles? Then here’s the solution: the free SubMagic. How does it work?
There’s a large variety of browsers available these days. This constitutes a major challenge for website builders. How can you test whether your website displays well in the main browsers?
Where did I take that picture?
When sorting (hundreds of) photographs months after your latest holiday, you may well have forgotten where exactly you took them. The solution is called “geotagging”.
Internet via other DNS servers
We don’t realise this, but our Internet providers are using DNS, a system which translates Internet names into IP addresses. The free service OpenDNS can do this as well and offers several extra features into the bargain. Is it worthwhile?
Running your own server… it sounds technical and expensive, but it needn’t be. Here are some relatively simple, free server tools for exchanging files, creating central file storage and music streaming.
Using the right software, you can customise your keyboard layout in order to work more efficiently or to disable certain keys which you keep hitting inadvertently. How does it work?
By using professional online services, you can greatly boost your efficiency. We’ve reviewed several office utilities before, but here is a presentation tool and a virtual secretary.
Scheduling tasks and appointments in your webmail
As you know, most webmail services are also equipped with a built-in calendar. Do they offer a useful alternative for dedicated calendar software, or are they mere gadgets?
We’ve already reviewed several tools which allow you to convert documents into PDF files easily - and free of charge. Which is best? We put our three favourite tools to the test.
Listen to what others have to say
Are you planning a visit to the cinema shortly, or are you thinking of buying a DVD or CD? Then it’s a good idea to browse through some reviews first. Where do you find them online?
Microsoft has recently launched MSN Local to provide local data on areas of the UK. How does this compare to existing sites like UpMyStreet? Let’s find out.
Despite what the papers say, many employers are still recruiting new staff; even if it’s only for a fixed-term appointment. So if you’re going through this process, what are the traps you can fall into when drafting job ads?
Can their ideas help your business?
Sainsbury’s recently asked its employees to suggest ideas on how it could improve business. But these schemes aren’t just for the big boys. So what are the advantages and how do you set one up?
Two flexible working requests in a year
Six months ago one of your employees made a statutory flexible working request, which was refused. They’ve now made another application - this time on different grounds. Do you have to give it the time of day?
An employee who likes to regularly overindulge in alcohol can be a problem at the best of times. But suppose it results in them being kicked off an external training course that they must attend. Can this be grounds for dismissal?
English is the second language for 2.5 million workers. But can you insist that they don’t utter a foreign word at work, or will that be racial discrimination? And what about disciplinary proceedings - do they have to be in English too?
Apparently, 72% of employers have already been affected by swine ‘flu. Much of the government’s advice has focused on dealing with those who catch it. But what are the issues when it comes to those who are still fighting fit?
Are they losing their hearing?
New research shows that 40% of workers aged over 50 suffer from deafness and many employers aren’t sure how handle it. So, what should you be doing?
Entrepreneurs’ relief versus rental income
Some of the drawbacks of entrepreneurs’ relief (ER) are just beginning to show up. One problem is that ER is lost for individuals who own their trading premises and charge their company rent. Is there a solution?
Getting your hands on the loss relief
Over the last nine months the Chancellor announced extra help for companies in the form of an extension to loss relief. But in practice actually getting hold of the tax refund can take a long time. What can you do to speed things up?
We’re getting reports of a money-making scam being used by the Taxman to bolster the Chancellor’s coffers. Employers are being conned by PAYE inspectors into coughing up tax that isn’t legally their liability. What’s the story?