2016 -
August
LEGISLATION - 31.08.2016
The state of regulation
Since the UK voted to leave the EU in June 2016, there has been speculation about how health and safety is to be regulated. What’s on the cards?
ELECTRICITY - 31.08.2016
New regulations on electromagnetic fields
As anticipated, the Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations 2016 (EMFR) came into force on 1 July 2016. They have the potential to affect all businesses, but in reality most need to do nothing. Why is this?
PUBLIC LIABILITY - 31.08.2016
No liability for event car park injury
A case heard at the High Court considered whether the owners and operators of a parking area were liable for a man’s injury. Why were they found to be blameless and what practical actions should you take in similar circumstances?
STORAGE - 31.08.2016
Safe stacking of goods
A company has been fined following the death of an employee on its premises. He was killed when boxes of frozen fish fell on him. What can be learned from this case and how can you prevent a similar incident on your premises?
LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT - 31.08.2016
Are new rules planned for bouncy castles?
The HSE has come under pressure to overhaul the legislation and guidance for inflatable play equipment. What has prompted this and what are the current rules?
SHARPS - 31.08.2016
Sharps regulations are being ignored
An HSE enforcement initiative has uncovered serious failures in the management of sharp instruments. What were the findings, and if your staff are at risk from this type of equipment, what should you be doing about it?
FIRE TRAINING - 31.08.2016
A shared approach to emergency training
Your office is in a multi-occupancy building in which the landlord’s agent maintains some emergency equipment. In this situation who is responsible for providing training on the use of the items?
ANTI-AVOIDANCE - 30.08.2016
Proposed changes to advertising rules
HMRC is undertaking a consultation that could see the use and enjoyment rules extend to advertising. What do you need to know?
OUTPUT TAX - CARS - 30.08.2016
Selling a business-owned car
Like most businesses yours owns several cars which it makes available to key employees. But when they come to sell them the VAT position can be very confusing - so what VAT is actually due?
EXPORTS - 30.08.2016
Buying and selling goods overseas
You’re eyeing up some growth opportunities. This is likely to include buying goods from a supplier outside the UK and then delivering them directly to an overseas customer. What would be the VAT position?
DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS - 30.08.2016
Covert recording costs employees £69,484
Employees who make covert recordings are often allowed to use them as evidence against their employer in tribunal. However, this practice has just cost four employees nearly £70,000. What did they do wrong?
HOLIDAYS - 30.08.2016
New hires and statutory holiday entitlement
All workers are entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday in each leave year. But what happens when a new employee starts work part-way through your leave year? How is their statutory holiday entitlement calculated?
LAY-OFFS - 30.08.2016
Can you impose a lay-off automatically?
If you experience a downturn in work, you might want to lay off one or more employees. This is where you tell them not to come into work for at least one working day. Sounds good, but can you do this automatically?
ACAS CODE - 30.08.2016
Does the Acas Code apply to ill-health dismissals?
The Acas Code of Practice must be followed wherever misconduct or poor performance is suspected. But what if you’re looking to dismiss someone on capability grounds due to their ill health? Must you follow the Code then?
PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT - 30.08.2016
Employment laws post-Brexit
Although the UK has voted to leave the EU, we’re unlikely to know the full impact on our existing employment laws for some time yet. But are there any laws which won’t be directly affected by Brexit?
UNFAIR DISMISSAL - 30.08.2016
Fairly dismissed for “not washing hands”
An employee who was sacked for not washing his hands has lost his claim for unfair dismissal at the tribunal. So does this mean you can safely dismiss one of your own employees if they don’t wash their hands?
TIME OFF - 30.08.2016
The law on career breaks
A long-serving employee has asked if they can take a career break of around six months. What is the legal position on career breaks and do employees who take them have any right to be paid?
INCOME TAX - 25.08.2016
HMRC 0-1Tottenham Hotspur FC
A football club has won a tribunal case regarding termination payments and the partial £30,000 exemption. What are the key points for you to take away from the decision?
COMPLIANCE - 25.08.2016
What’s happening with digital tax post-Brexit?
The Making Tax Digital agenda will continue unabated - apparently regardless of Brexit. After months of silence, there are finally some answers as to how your role as advisor will fit in. Do you need to take any action now?
INCOME TAX - 25.08.2016
Employment termination payments - the tax position
Clients often have to release staff from employment. To soften the blow, they might choose to make a termination payment. But will the employee have to pay tax on such a payment?
TAX AVOIDANCE - 25.08.2016
Win, lose or draw?
After a lengthy hearing, the First-tier Tribunal has delivered its decision in the Ingenious partnerships’ appeal against HMRC. Can your affected clients finally look forward to some certainty over their tax affairs?
BENEFITS IN KIND - 25.08.2016
Can a tax charge be avoided by a fair bargain?
One of your clients receives various benefits from their employer. They’ve informed you that in respect of some of these, they are required to make a payment. They have asked whether they can avoid a tax charge on those benefits - is that possible?
LAND AND PROPERTY TAXES - 25.08.2016
Dealing with overage clauses
Your client is selling some land that might have future development potential, and has been advised by his solicitor to negotiate an overage clause. However, he is confused about how this might affect his tax position. What is the answer?
recycling - 23.08.2016
Scotland’s changing anaerobic digestion rules
Scotland is revising the end-of-waste criteria for anaerobic digestate and compost, and introducing new duties for food waste producers. What is changing and can you expect similar rules to spread to the rest of the UK?
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES - 23.08.2016
Dealing with pests
If you have to deal with common pests, such as rats and mice, you should be aware that the authorities have tightened up the rules on the use of pesticides. What’s to know?
WATER - 23.08.2016
Protecting our oceans firmly on the agenda
With plastic microbeads and the use of phosphates in detergents facing EU bans and widespread phase out, what are the implications for your business and what do you need to know to stay within the law?
GREEN INITIATIVES - 23.08.2016
The truth about green claims
With so many businesses making claims about their supposed environmental performance, you’re finding it almost impossible to make head or tail of it all. So should you really take note of the claims?
WASTE - 23.08.2016
Paying for bin air
Do you get an all-in-one price for your general waste (black bag) collections? If so, you might be able to obtain a better deal from your waste contractor. What’s the story and what can you do about it?
VEHICLES - 23.08.2016
Have diesel vehicles had their day?
New clean air zones that charge for or even ban the most polluting of vehicles are likely to be needed in several English cities projected to fail air quality tests, according to a group of MEPs. What will happen and how can you prepare?
POLLUTION - 23.08.2016
Online pollution prevention guidance
On 12 July 2016 the government posted online guidance which spells out how pollution incidents should be prevented. What’s covered?
