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Training Rights
If you are working for an employer who has 250 or more employees,
then as from 6th April 2010 you have the right to apply for
unpaid time off work to study or receive training. But the
training and study must be connected to your employer’s
business.
This right is pursuant to section 40 of the Apprenticeships,
Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009.
An employer can refuse if the training or study will not
improve your performance at his business but otherwise where
it is a reasonable request, it should be granted.”
Further Changes to Employment Law - October
2009
Various changes to Employment Law will come into effect
this month, October 2009. These include:
(a) Raising of the National Minimum Wage to £5.80
per hour for workers aged 22 and over, and to £4.83
per hour for 18 to 21 year olds, and to £3.57 per hour
for 16 and 17 year olds. These new Regulations also include
the widely publicised change that tips at restaurants etc
will no longer count as part of wages so that employers thereby
comply with the National Minimum Wage Regulations.
(b) On 12th October 2009 the Vetting and Barring Scheme
starts which assesses the suitability of job applicants in
circumstances where they would work with children and vulnerable
adults.
(c) On 1st October the weekly maximum amount for calculating
redundancy payments, basic awards for unfair dismissal etc
was raised from £350.00 to £380.00.
New Advisor joins our Private Client Department
We are delighted that Mrs Samantha ("Sam") Dale
has joined us. Sam previously worked in the Black Country
and Worcestershire.
Sam is a legal executive and has specialised in private client
work since 1991.
Sam not only can advise, prepare and attend to execution
of your Will but also all other aspects of private client
work including obtaining probate and administering an estate
for you.
This firm is a member of Certainty, an organisation which
provides a national database of Wills. Sam can deal
with the registration of your Will onto this central register.
Sam is also a member of "Solicitors for the Elderly",
whose members specifically look to address the legal requirements
and private client needs of older people.
Experienced Associate Adds Expertise
Miss Nesheela Nazir has now joined Messrs
Scotts Holt & Sellars, Solicitors, as an Associate Solicitor
at "Steps House", 10 St John Street, Bromsgrove. Nesheela
said that she was delighted to be joining this firm of such
long standing in Bromsgrove.
Nesheela is an experienced Solicitor qualified
in 2001. She deals with all areas of Family Law. Nesheela
said she is looking forward to developing the firm’s
unrivalled and distinctive reputation.
Alan Morris, Senior Partner at Messrs Scotts
Holt & Sellars, added that he was delighted that a Solicitor
with Nesheela's drive and renown had joined the practice.
He added: "We pride ourselves at Scotts Holt & Sellars in
providing an efficient professional and friendly service to
clients throughout Worcestershire and the West Midlands, and
I am certain that Nesheela's joining the firm will enhance
this excellent reputation".
For full details of Nesheela’s profile
please click onto the Matrimonial
and Family page.
Click
here to download newsletter.
Nic Ackrill
Nic joined Scotts in 1977 as a trainee solicitor.
He handled contract disputes and personal injury claims. However
for over 30 years family and matrimonial work was his favoured
area of law; and he acted for clients in divorce proceedings
as well as in separation, civil partnerships, pre-nuptial
agreements, financial negotiations, domestic violence and
children's issues. He was a most respected advocate with great
expertise.
Nic's untimely death in August 2008 at the
age of 55 has taken a highly valued local lawyer away from
Bromsgrove. Our thoughts are with Nic's family.
We will still provide a professional service
for clients in family and matrimonial work, and shall advise
of Nic's permanent successor in due course.
Are You Flexible?
The Employment Act 2002 introduced flexible
working for parents of young and disabled children. This has
been extended so that those who care for adults are also covered.
Radio Radio
Andrew Borley was called upon and gave expert advice on a
sex discrimination matter on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester
last year. BBC Hereford and Worcester were running a
News Bulletin with regard to a taxi firm's employment of women
only drivers.
Andrew answered questions and explained live to the radio
listeners that restricting the applicants to women only was
in breach of the Sex Discrimination Act and thereby left the
taxi company open to a claim in the Employment Tribunal.
Even more of a Welcome
Jane Chandler joined us recently as a receptionist so that
our reception desk now has two people dealing with telephone
calls and clients calling in to our offices. This provides
an even more efficient method for clients to contact the fee
earners here; and we are delighted to have Jane join us.
Focus on Litigation
The increases in interest rates during the course of this
year and the further erosion of our manufacturing base to
Eastern Europe and the Far East means that it is even harder
for local businesses to trade and make a profit. This
difficulty is not assisted by the extensive employment legislation
which has come into force over the last ten years, and also
by bad debtors.
We can help deal with both of these two aspects.
Andrew Borley has seventeen years experience of dealing with
Employment Tribunal disputes. He has represented both
employers and employees at The Employment Tribunals in Birmingham,
in London and in Southampton. Andrew will be pleased
to advise you at an initial fixed fee hearing of £40.00
plus VAT upon your employment rights and obligations.
Andrew deals with contract disputes and will act for you
in County Court and/or High Court proceedings where effective
enforcement action can be taken to recover debts due to the
company.
If you look to instruct Solicitors then come to us who have
experience in successfully obtaining solutions for clients.
Working Time Changes - we're
all going on a (longer) Summer Holiday
The 1998 Working Time Regulations introduced
a statutory minimum of 20 days' (four weeks') paid annual
leave but some employers included the 8 public holidays within
this leave period. So the government is looking to extend
this statutory entitlement to 28 days for full-time workers.
(Part-time workers would receive the additional leave on a
pro-rata basis.)
Under the 2007 Working Time (Amendment) Regulations
the government is phasing this in with the first increase
in entitlement (to 24 days) as from October 1, 2007 and the
second (to 28) on April 1st 2009.
As from 1st April 2009 holiday periods may not be substituted
by a payment in lieu unless the employee's contract is being
terminated.
The additional entitlement may be carried over into the following
year.
Employers will need to provide a written amendment to contracts
of employment detailing any changes to the current contracts. |
