Are ‘deductions’ from workers’ pay in respect of living accommodation and training costs to be viewed as ‘reductions’ capable of bringing their remuneration below the National Minimum Wage (NMW)? The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) addressed that burning issue in an important test case. The case
The vexed distinction between ‘workers’ and ‘independent contractors’ could hardly be more important for many businesses but remains perennially controversial. An important ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) is likely, however, to prove invaluable in shedding light on the issue.
Validly restricting the post-termination conduct of employees and partners involves striking a careful balance between business protection and personal freedom, and that is why professional drafting is indispensable. An instructive case on point concerned a partner in a professional services firm who was banned from
The annual Christmas party gives employers the opportunity to thank members of staff for their contribution over the past year and is a chance for everyone to relax and enjoy the holiday season. However, it is easy to forget that an employer owes its employees
Employment contracts that remain unsigned are frequently not worth the paper they are written on. The point was resoundingly made by a High Court case in which a large services company was unable to find even one signed copy of a contract with a senior
Every sensible business owner is aware that today’s trusted employee may become tomorrow’s competitor. However, as a High Court ruling showed, with the right legal advice and professionally drafted employment contracts, powerful steps can be taken to discourage disloyalty. The case concerned a company that
Self-employed or worker? There can hardly be a more burning issue in employment law and, in upholding a plumber’s claim that he fell into the latter category, the Supreme Court has imposed vital restraints on the so called ‘gig economy’. The man was one of
