Asking our employees to work overtime is occasionally a requirement, but do your employment contracts stipulate whether that time will be paid or unpaid?
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If you are faced with having to make redundancies in your business, you will need to consider your redundancy pool and your selection criteria. Our Employment team explains here who should form your redundancy pool, what factors should form your selection criteria, and how to ensure it is a fair procedure for all concerned.
Releasing equity in your home is an effective, and increasingly popular, way of raising funds to help your children onto the property ladder, make renovations, go on that once in a lifetime holiday or have a more solid financial foundation for your retirement.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was implemented a year ago, requiring businesses to adapt to the most revolutionary change in data protection seen in years. Even though 12 months have now passed, businesses are still working towards compliance with the regulations.
Our Southampton Residential Conveyancing team are celebrating the promotion of Lucy Smith to Team Leader of the department.
Your employees are the foundation of your company, so treating them fairly and consistently will lead to a productive, loyal workforce, as well as helping you stay out of the Employment Tribunal. You are not always able to stop an individual from bringing a tribunal claim, but you can mitigate the risk of it happening by treating everyone that comes into contact with your company, whether they are an employee or a prospective employee, fairly and reasonably. Our Employment team explain here the main ways that you can reduce the risk of a tribunal claim being brought against you, and how we can also help.
One of the most commonly experienced effects of brain injury is the focus of this year’s Action for Brain Injury Week, which runs this week from 20th May to 26th May.
This week is Dementia Action Week; a week dedicated to uniting people, workplaces, schools and communities to take action and improve the lives of people living with dementia. Jane Cox, Private Client Partner, became a Dementia Friends Champion in June 2018 and explains here how becoming a Dementia Friend can help those living with dementia feel less lonely and more included in their community.
The number of couples entering into a civil partnership has increased in recent years; the most recent Office of National Statistics from 2017 show an increase of 2% compared to 2016. With the increase in those entering a civil partnership also comes the increase in the number of those coming to an end. Sarah Pennicott, Family Solicitor in our Portsmouth office, here explains how a civil partnership legally comes to an end, and how we can support you through this emotional change in your life.
It’s always a good idea to be sure your employees have heard from you, particularly those on maternity leave. Our Employment team reviews a recent case in which an employer failed to communicate with their employee correctly regarding redundancies at the business, and found themselves in Tribunal as a result.
With Mental Health Awareness Week upon us, we are considering the impact the workplace can have on our mental health. Employers will be aware of employees going off sick when they are unwell, but there is a growing rise in presenteeism. Our Employment team here review what this means, and how businesses can be supporting their employees through any concerns about their mental health.
Statistics show that over half of divorcing couples have at least one child at the time of their divorce but, of course, many more children go through parental separation each year because these statistics do not include parents who have not been married.
Having managers who are fully aware of the risks of discrimination, bullying and harassment is a vital step for any employer to avoid potential Tribunal claims. This was proven in the recent case of Nixon v Royal Mail Group Limited; our Employment team review the case here and advise how employers can take steps to prevent being in the same situation themselves.
On the 15th April 2019, the Government announced proposals to repeal section 21 of the Housing Act 1988, which provides a no fault procedure for a landlord to recover possession of their tenanted property. Were the proposals to proceed, the future of tenant evictions and repossessions would be drastically altered. Helen Porter, Partner in our Litigation and Dispute Resolution team, reviews the proposals and the steps landlords can take to protect their property in the future.
Our Litigation and Dispute Resolution team have previously discussed the progress of the Tenant Fees Act through the Houses of Parliament, but the Act has now received royal assent and shall come into force on 1 June 2019. From this date, landlords and letting agents are only able to charge for the deposit, rent and restricted default fees. Helen Porter, Partner in the team, reviews the changes being introduced and explains the steps landlords should take now to remain compliant.
Redundancies are unfortunately a necessary measure for some businesses, and it is important that if this is the case for your business that you follow the right procedure to reduce the risk of Tribunal claims. If you have employees on maternity leave, there are additional conditions that must be applied; our Employment team discuss these today and explain the next steps if you are considering redundancies.
If you are considering disputing a Will under the Inheritance Act, ordinarily you will be required to do so within six months of the Grant of Representation being issued. The Court can grant permission to pursue a claim out of time but the criteria are strict. So in a recent case where the Court granted a widow permission to pursue a claim 25 years out of time that was highly unusual and unprecedented. Kevin Horn, Disputed Wills expert in our Private Client team, reviews the case and explains how you should proceed if you are considering bringing a claim of this nature.
A midwife has succeeded in claiming she is entitled to 50% of the £1 million home she had shared with her CEO ex-partner after a High Court Judge agreed that he had promised her half the property during a conversation in a pub 13 years ago. Hannah Rogers, Family Solicitor in Portsmouth, reviews the case here and advises how you can possibly avoid the same situation through a Declaration of Trust or Cohabitation Agreement.
As well as two new Partners, the promotions continue for us here at Warner Goodman LLP as five new Associates are announced. The firm’s Residential Conveyancing team are well represented amongst those celebrations, as Lucy Smith, Genni Cooper...
A recent case has highlighted the complicated nature of discrimination claims and protected characteristics; our Employment team review the case here and advise employers on their best course of action.
We are delighted to announce the promotion of Jenny Colvin and Naushad Rahman to Partner status as of 1st May 2019, bringing our total number of Partners to 19.