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A Catholic woman has been awarded £20,000 compensation after being subjected to sectarian harassment at work. Helen Scott worked at bathroom suppliers Stevenson & Reid Ltd in Belfast. She was the only Catholic among the predominantly Protestant employees in her department. She said that in 2015, her line manager became angry with her after discovering
Many people are tempted to make DIY wills to save money but it can often lead to confusion and extra cost for grieving families, as in a recent case before the High Court. It involved a man who left three houses, one in London, one in Cardiff and one it Montenegro, to the Serbian Orthodox
The divorce rate has risen to its highest level since 2009, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. It’s thought that financial concerns could be one of the main reasons for the rise. There were 106,959 divorces of opposite-sex couples in 2016, an increase of 5.8% compared with 2015. This amounted
Landlords will be obliged to join an ombudsman redress scheme as part of government efforts to give tenants greater protection. The new measures were unveiled by the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid. He said the government will also oblige letting agents to be registered so they are subjected to proper professional oversight. The new system will
Contracts should always specify the precise details of the terms and conditions relating to payments, duties, timescale etc. However, sometimes the courts can rule that a term is implied in an agreement even though it hasn’t been put in writing, as happened in a recent case involving the sale of land. The seller gave a
A police officer who claimed she failed a fitness test because a thyroid condition caused her to gain weight has lost her discrimination claim. Rebecca Tiffin was a detective constable with Surrey Police. It was a requirement that officers passed an Annual Fitness Assessment involving interval running known as a bleep test. Ms Tiffin failed
Businesses could now face prosecution if they fail to prevent staff from criminally facilitating tax evasion. The new measures came into effect on 30 September. It was already a crime to evade tax, or deliberately help another person to do so, but the government is now taking an even firmer stance in a move designed
The government is planning to set up an independent regulatory body to oversee the work of letting and property management agents. Ministers say the move is necessary to end abuses in the property management industry, drive down costs and protect consumers from the small minority of rogue agents. Research by consumer group Which? shows that
Britain has seen a surge in the number of new businesses being created each year, according to the latest government figures. There are now a record 5.5 million private sector firms – a million more than seven years ago. The Minister for Small Business, Margot James, welcomed the figures, saying: “Small businesses employ 12.5 million
The government has begun refunding employment tribunal fees following the Supreme Court ruling that they’re unlawful. The fees were introduced in 2013, with employees having to pay up to £1,200 to bring a claim. Following a challenge by the union Unison, the Supreme Court ruled that the fees were discriminatory, unlawful and unconstitutional. Up to