Employers are under siege. Since the cold snap hit, some staff have been complaining that it is too cold in their workplaces whilst others, as soon as the thermostat is turned up, are complaining that it is too hot. The endless temperature wars are causing many of you to throw your hands up in despair and ask what you can do to restore the season of goodwill to all men (and women) at work. more
The recent severe weather experience raises an old employment law chestnut – what happens if an employee is unable or unwilling to travel to his or her place of work? What, if any, steps can businesses take to ensure they are not cheated out of labour by the elements? more
The question of employment status has been blurred in recent years by the evolution of the status of the "worker", a creature created by statute. A worker is defined under section 230(3) of ERA 1996 as an individual who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, worked under)... more
Thank you to everyone who attended last week’s Your Employment Forum where we looked at some things that remain the same under the Equality Act 2010 and some things that are new, borrowed and blue! For those who couldn’t make it, here is a summary of what was discussed... more
Owners and tenants should keep a watchful eye on the energy efficiency and carbon emissions of their commercial buildings. The last two years have witnessed a spurt of government activity on climate change and sustainability regulations. 2009 saw the introduction of energy performance certificates for all properties bought or sold and this year sees the beginnings of a carbon emissions trading scheme for commercial buildings (the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme). more
As we are blasted by arctic winds this week I am sure many of you are, like me, looking forward to an annual escape to sunnier climes in the coming months. more
Today is the tenth annual World IP Day. One of the aims of this day is to increase understanding of how protecting IP rights helps promote creativity and innovation. Many businesses do not appreciate how useful IP is in their industry and can often lose out if they do not identify the uses their business can make from it. more
The much publicised Digital Economy Act passed into law yesterday after it was controversially included in the pre-election scramble to enact legislation called the ‘wash up’. It includes well-publicised and contentious provisions designed to combat online piracy, including disconnection. more
Discrimination at work is a minefield for employers and the necessary level of religious sensitivity required can be difficult to ascertain. Common issues can come up in even the smallest of workplaces, such as acceptable alterations to uniforms, how food is stored in the kitchen and how to accommodate festivals and prayer times. more
I wish I had invented this word – but unfortunately, I have to give that credit to Luke Johnson: see the Financial Times Magazine, of 27 February 2010. But the word, and the idea behind it, is simply great.
The idea is this. As the baby boomer generation retires...
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Ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gases by 42% as of 2020 mean that owners and occupiers of commercial buildings will shortly see a raft of new environmental regulations. Two pieces of legislation, the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, are responsible for these changes. The most important measures are summarised below. more