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News Archive - 2009

01/05/2009 Meadows Fraser assists with international sale
Surrey Solicitors, Meadows Fraser LLP has advised the owners of a Weybridge based company on its sale to a leading sports equipment manufacturer. read more
01/05/2009

Meadows Fraser LLP’s Charity Fundraising
There have been a number of charity fundraising efforts by staff at Meadows Fraser LLP over the last two months. read more

01/05/2009

Changes to HIPs
Weybridge-based law firm Meadows Fraser has highlighted the importance of a ruling with potentially significant implications for landowners and developers. read more

01/05/2009

Alert to employers on new legal rules
Employers need to be aware of new rules covering key employment issues which come into force on 6th April 2009 under the Employment Act 2008. read more

01/05/2009

Avoiding and resolving workplace problems
The legislation governing how businesses deal with disputes with their employees is changing from April 2009. The new simpler and more flexible system is intended to save businesses time and money. read more

01/05/2009

Energy performance of buildings
The European Commission has published proposals to amend the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. This directive is the basis for the law on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), Display Energy Certificates (DECs) and air-conditioning inspections.
read more

01/05/2009

10 million now have rights to flexible working
From April 6th 2009, more than 10 million people will have the right to request flexible working from their employer. The term ‘flexible working’ can include a range of working practices such as compressed hours, working from home, or any pattern of hours other than the standard one in an organisation. read more

01/04/2009

Solicitors highlight enforceability of restrictive covenants
Weybridge-based law firm Meadows Fraser has highlighted the importance of a ruling with potentially significant implications for landowners and developers. read more

01/04/2009

Myerson v Myerson
As has been widely reported, Mr Bryan Myerson a former city fund manager, has lost his appeal (to the Court of Appeal) to renegotiate his £9.5 million divorce settlement.
read more

01/04/2009

Solicitors alert employers on new legal rules
Employers need to be aware of new rules covering key employment issues which come into force on 6th April 2009 under the Employment Act 2008. read more

01/04/2009

Solicitors highlight changes to HIPs
Weybridge-based law firm Meadows Fraser LLP is highlighting new legal requirements concerning property sales that have now come into force. read more

01/04/2009

Energy performance of buildings
The European Commission has published proposals to amend the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. This directive is the basis for the law on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), Display Energy Certificates (DECs) and air-conditioning inspections. read more

01/04/2009

EU plans to increase Maternity payments
The European Union (EU) has announced plans to give female workers the right to full pay when on maternity leave. The proposed directive plans to increase the minimum maternity leave period from 14 to 18 weeks, which is still less than the current UK statutory minimum of 39 weeks, but Brussels intends that the new mothers would receive 100% of their salary for that time. At the moment, UK mothers get 90% salary for 6 weeks then £117 per week for the next 33 weeks. read more

01/04/2009

Older workers’ hopes dashed
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued a ruling giving full support to the UK compulsory retirement age of 65. Many thousands of older workers, who wish to stay on in their jobs, had their hopes ruined when the ECJ gave its decision. The current law is based on the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006; the regulations permit employers to compel workers to retire at or after 65 and to refuse to recruit anyone over the age of 65. read more

01/04/2009

Digital Britain
The Government has called on those working in the UK’s creative industries to give their views on the role a ‘digital rights agency’ should play in protecting and promoting the legal use of copyright content online. The consultation process is also inviting comment on how industry, consumer groups and central government can work together to create an environment where investment in creativity is rewarded. read more

01/04/2009

Compensation for unfair dismissal increases
Employers should be aware that the limits on payments and awards made to workers in certain situations increased from 1 February 2009, where the event giving rise to the entitlement to the payment arose on or after this date. The increased limits affect statutory redundancy payments and compensatory awards for unfair dismissal. read more

01/03/2009 Solicitors highlight changes to disciplinary and grievance rules
Weybridge-based law firm Meadows Fraser are urging businesses to ensure they are up to date on changes to the way that workplace disciplinary and grievance issues should be dealt with.
From 6 April 2009, the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures replaces statutory dismissal and grievance procedures. read more
01/03/2009 Happy holidays!
Business owners are reminded that they should ensure that their employees’ (or their own) holiday entitlement has been correctly calculated, especially as many employees’ entitlement may need to be increased due to a change in the minimum holiday entitlement, which takes effect later this year. read more
01/03/2009 Employers reminded of minimum pay rates
Employers are being reminded of the rise in the national minimum wage, as a national awareness campaign closes this week. The ‘It’s Your Call’ campaign aims to boost awareness of the increased national minimum wage. The campaign was launched in November, following the wage increase in October, and comes to London for its final events this week. read more
01/03/2009 New Act comes into force bringing tough penalties
The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008, will introduce stringent new workplace rules regarding safety issues. Employers are being urged to pay close attention to their responsibilities as failure to do so may result in a jail sentence of up to two years. The Government has assured civil rights activists that the only the most serious offenders will have such a sentence imposed but it is widely thought that the courts will be under pressure to hand out jail terms to staff who hold supervisory roles. read more
01/03/2009

Survey finds employees likely to steal data if faced with redundancy
A recent report from the IT security group CyberArk has found that 58% of workers in Britain would steal confidential information from the company they work for if they were to lose their job. It was also revealed in the findings that, at the moment, 40% of the British workforce are already collecting confidential company data to help them negotiate any future redundancy plans. read more

01/03/2009 Paid holidays for those on sick leave
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that workers on long-term sick leave are entitled to paid holidays. The decision clearly states that all workers are entitled to up to 4 weeks of holiday pay for each year they are on sick leave. read more
01/02/2009 New Act comes into force bringing tough penalties
The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008, which comes into force on Friday, will introduce stringent new workplace rules regarding safety issues. Employers are being urged to pay close attention to their responsibilities as failure to do so may result in a jail sentence of up to two years. read more
01/02/2009 Case highlights need for careful wording of job adverts
Businesses have been warned of the need to word adverts for job vacancies carefully to avoid ageism. The issue has been highlighted after a woman allegedly received around £100,000 from successfully challenging 22 companies on the grounds of age discrimination. read more
01/02/2009 More lasting powers of attorney being made
The first annual report of the Office of the Public Guardian shows more people are making powers of attorney - setting out what should happen to their financial and health matters should they lose mental capacity - than ever before. read more
01/02/2009 Post-nuptial agreements
The Privy Council has made legal history by ruling that post-nuptial agreements are legally binding as long as they meet certain criteria. The case before them, MacLeod v MacLeod, was a fiercely contested divorce case between a multi-millionaire property tycoon and his wife, whom he met when she was a student. read more
01/02/2009 Repeal of the statutory dispute resolution procedures
All employers will be aware of the practical problems which have been caused since the introduction of the statutory dispute resolution procedures in October 2004. read more
01/01/2009

New ACAS code on disciplinary and grievance procedures
Businesses should be aware of the new ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. It comes into effect on 6th April 2009, when the statutory dismissal and grievance procedures are abolished. read more

01/01/2009

The importance of understanding directors' duties and responsibilities
Due to the current economic climate, more businesses face financial difficulties and even insolvency. Directors need to be fully aware of their duties. Businesses with exposure to discretionary consumer spending are likely to suffer more than others. Retailers are in the front line as consumers tighten their belts. Leisure businesses are similarly concerned and estate agents and those in the construction and building industry continue to suffer. read more

01/01/2009

Changes to the EPC regulations
The EPB Amendment No 2 Regulations 2008 came into force on 01 October 2008. read more

01/01/2009

Tougher penalties for health and safety offences
New legislation under the Health and Safety Offences Act 2008 will increase penalties and provide courts with greater sentencing powers for those who flout health and safety legislation. read more