Business Update January 2006
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Key links
Points of interest
Businesses have different cashflow needs. The point at which money sitting in a current account can be termed "surplus" will depend on the costs each business has and the frequency and ...Online retail and age restrictions
A recent survey by the Trading Standards Institute (TSI) found that many retailers - including some of the UK's best-known names - were unknowingly selling goods such as knives and alcohol ...Q&A: Employee healthcare schemes
Answering the questions is Rob Simpson (RS), managing director of independent financial advisor Simpson Financial Services. Why should small businesses offer staff healthcare insurance?RS: "It ...Age concerns
Treating any employee unfavourably because of their age will be illegal after 1 October 2006, but that is no reason to wait until then to implement changes. "The reason small businesses should ...The Civil Partnership Act
Since 5 December 2005, when the Civil Partnership Act became law, two (non-related) adults of the same sex can enter into a civil partnership, giving them many of the same legal rights as a married ...10 ways to... Improve your business fortunes in 2006
The start of a new year provides the perfect opportunity to review your firm's progress and set fresh objectives for the year ahead. Tom Whitney looks at some simple steps you can take to improve ...Consultation on aligning company filing dates
Aimed at reducing annual compliance costs, businesses are being asked to comment on proposed changes to filing requirements at HM Revenue &Customs (HMRC) and Companies House.
Issued jointly ...Data protection - Good Practice Notes
Businesses can now benefit from Good Practice Notes, published by The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which tackle common misunderstandings and answer frequently asked questions about data ...HSE guidance on workplace transport safety
A comprehensive new guide for employers, Workplace Transport Safety: An Employers' Guide, has been published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It tackles general workplace transport-safety ...Case law: company fined for dumping computer monitors
A computer company and its director have been fined £5,000 (plus costs of more than £2,500) for waste offences. The case highlights the need for businesses to comply with hazardous-waste ...Case law: burden of proof in racial-discrimination claim
A recent case serves as a reminder of the potential costs to employers who cannot justify apparently discriminatory acts.
If an employee establishes facts from which an employment tribunal can ...Case law: guidance on what amounts to a grievance
A recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decision means employers should treat all written complaints from employees (their solicitors or representatives) as potential grievances, triggering the ...Increased redundancy-related amounts
New limits applying to certain awards of employment tribunals and other amounts payable under employment legislation come into force from 1 February.
The maximum amount of "a week's pay" (for the ...HSE guidance on whole-body vibration
Businesses that operate off-road machinery and construction vehicles, as well as industries where drivers can be exposed to shocks and jolts while travelling over rough ground, are likely to welcome ...OFT guidance on distance selling of IT goods and services
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has published guidance for businesses that sell IT goods and services at distance (eg on the internet, by phone or through catalogues).
The guidance reflects ...Consultation on Patent Office forms
Aiming to reducing the administrative burden on external users, the Patent Office is seeking the views of businesses on forms to be filed for particular actions associated with patents, trade marks, ...Outlook for 2006
Businesses should be preparing for a number of significant legal changes that are on the horizon for 2006. These include:
Company law: provisions of the Company Law Reform Bill are due to start ...Is this your problem?
One of my employees has had a serious accident while at work... While a workplace accident might seem an unlikely occurrence, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there are an ...How older employees benefit us
THE SOLUTION: "We found exactly what we were after in Penel Harris - a bookkeeper and administrator who wanted to return to work after her two children left home. She's been with us 13 years ...