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One in six small to medium-sized enterprises (SME) are worried that financial pressures could see them go out of business within the next year, according to global insurer Zurich. The figures are contained in Zurich’s SME Risk Index for Quarter 4 of last year, in which YouGov questioned decision makers at more than 500 businesses.
An insurance firm has been granted an injunction preventing a former employee from revealing some of its valuable and confidential information. The court heard that the employee had been unhappy at the firm for some time before she finally handed in her notice. During her employment she had sent confidential documents to her personal email
The Government wants to allow more business development applications to be fast tracked through the planning process. Currently, only applications that have a national significance such as transport, water, waste or energy projects can benefit from fast-tracking. Planning Minister Nick Boles wants to extend the system to help businesses grow as quickly as possible. He
The Government is introducing new legislation designed to clarify the rights of consumers and businesses. Ministers say the Consumer Rights Bill will streamline complicated legal issues currently contained in eight different sets of regulations. Under the draft Bill consumers will have the right to: get some money back after one failed repair of faulty goods
Machins Solicitors LLP’s Company and Commercial team is happy to announce the start of a working relationship with Tacit Fusion, a relationship that is sure to mutually benefit both organisations’ clients. Under the arrangement Machins will provide legal support and advice to Tacit Fusion clients when required, helping them to protect and exploit their intellectual
The Ministry of Justice has announced that Employment Tribunal fees will be introduced on 29 July this year. From that date, subject to the necessary Parliamentary approval, employees wishing to bring a claim to a tribunal will have to pay fees on a sliding scale depending on the nature of the claim and the number
Non-competition covenants can be a helpful way to protect your business by restricting an employee’s ability to set up a rival company and poach some of your customers. They have to be drawn up with great care, however: if the restrictions are not tight enough they may not be effective; but if they are too
The economic downturn has made both landlords and tenants extra keen to minimise potential losses when leases come to an end. A recent case in the High Court involved a dispute over the condition of a set of roof lights on a single-storey warehouse. The lease had required that the tenant should “keep the whole
The number of FTSE 350 firms signing up to the prompt payment code (PPC) has tripled in the last six months. Business Minister Michael Fallon wrote to businesses in November 2012 asking them to sign up to the code which requires large firms to pay small firms promptly. Mr Fallon said that firms that failed
The Government has amended company law in an attempt to increase the number of firms offering direct employee ownership schemes. UK employee owned companies have a turnover of £30bn a year and employ more than 130,000 people. Ministers say these firms are more productive, profitable and more resilient to economic shocks than other businesses. The