Late payments are the cause of 20% of insolvencies of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) according to a recent study. SMEs can be vulnerable if their customers don’t pay them on time, with cash flow problems potentially leading to major problems such as being unable to pay staff or buy essential materials. In a survey
Wednesday 2nd July 2014 7.45am-9.30am, Putteridgebury Conference Centre, Room 6, Hitchin Road, Luton. 2014 has been a busy year for changes in employment law. With these changes coming in to force the need to keep up to speed with how these affect you, and your workforce, is becoming more of a challenge. What about the
There are 3 million people in the UK who combine work with care. This is set to rise significantly due mainly to an ageing population. 1 in 5 adults has seen their work impacted as a result of their caring obligations, especially those aged 45 to 64. Productivity, attendance and stress levels can suffer when
This is a brief summary of the main points: ACAS and Tribunal claims Employees wishing to bring claims before the Employment Tribunal must first contact ACAS, which will offer a conciliation service. The measure, effective from 6 May, is designed to help the claimants and employers reach an agreement without having to go to a
The employee had originally been a self-employed financial adviser with several clients of his own. When he joined the company, he brought those clients with him in return for a substantial goodwill payment from his new employers. His contract included a restrictive covenant that prevented him from setting up a rival business within a year
A group of male maintenance staff have won a sex discrimination claim after discovering that their female counterparts were being paid more than them. The situation arose when the Swansea Metropolitan University (SMU) merged with the University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD). The eighteen men were originally employed by the SMU on a weekly
Up to one million small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) in Europe fail to recover cross-border debts. The average amount of debt written off by these companies is €600. This means that €600m is lost to cross-border debts every year. Due to the relatively small figure that the average SME is owed, they often find it
The tenant had a 25-year lease and wanted to activate the break clause. The clause stated that any notice exercising the right to break “must be expressed” as being given under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 s.24(2). The tenant complied with all aspects of the clause including serving notice within the appropriate time period
For those who fail, however, it can prove costly and demoralising. You can improve your chances of success by doing your homework before starting work or investing any money. Test your great idea You may think you have a great idea for a new business but are you sure other firms haven’t had exactly the
However, there has to be evidence of unlawful behaviour as opposed to the majority shareholders simply conducting business in a way contrary to the wishes of the minority. A recent case before the High Court involved a businessman who was a minority shareholder in an aviation company. He claimed that he had bought his shares