I’ve heard a lot of misconceptions about what the new UK employee holiday entitlement laws will involve, so here I shall do my best to explain who is affected, and what the changes to the law mean for businesses in the United Kingdom Firstly, before you (or your employees) go out and start celebrating, it should be pointed out that the laws, which increase the number of paid statutory holidays employees are entitled to from 20 to 24, are unlikely to be of much benefit to the vast majority of business workers

So, whether you love or hate the UK’s smoking ban, it seems to have stuck, and the majority of the country seems to be in favour Sorry smokers, but the smoking ban isn’t going away anytime soon

I think I speak for all managers around the country when I say that we have all, in our darker moments, fantasized about mimicking Sir Alan Sugar’s catchphrase on ‘The Apprentice’ and telling an employee in no uncertain terms that they need to clear their desk and leave: “You’re fired” Nice as it is to be able to pretend it would be this easy to get rid of that typist who spends more time on the phone to friends than doing their job, or the office manager who pulls a sickie every week, the truth is that simply firing your staff in this unceremonious manner will lead to all the ‘pleasures’ of an ‘unfair dismissal’ lawsuit

According to recent statistics, a third of companies aren’t planning on hosting the traditional office Christmas Party this year, amidst concerns about legal action due to drunken antics and so forth While I can safely say there are many more office safety risks during a party than the rest of the year (most offices just aren’t built for that level of snacks, alcohol and cheesy music), with a little thinking ahead the office Christmas party can become the celebrated institution it once was – without the dark cloud of litigation hanging overhead

Celebrity bankruptcy has become so common that many now hire financial advisors to keep an eye on their bank accounts and stop them from overindulging on wild extravagances and unworkable business ventures Nobody, no matter how famous or rich, is immune to the perils of debt

Unless you’ve been living under a rock in outer space then you’ll have heard about the smoking ban, but do you know about the legal updates on maternity leave, holiday entitlement and corporate management Workers, employers and directors need to be aware of these developments

Earlier this month, the first case of age discrimination in Northern Ireland was won by a Terrence McCoy – a 58 year old man applying for one of two sales posts in the timber trade After two interviews, he was informed he had been unsuccessful, but the employment tribunal found in his favour, and pointed out that the job advert used the phrase “youthful enthusiasm”, adding that the employer had consistently linked age to “motivation”, “enthusiasm” and “drive

Since the Sex Discrimination Act came into force in 1976, the gap between the pay of men and women has narrowed marginally But the rate of progress toward equal opportunities in the workplace which happened in the 70s and 80s has slowed in recent years and, at the current rate, equal pay will take another 50 years

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 comes into force on 6 April 2008, and all businesses must therefore take a look at their existing health and safety regulations, if they don’t want to face an unlimited fine plus potential humiliation by ‘name and shame’ The new offense of corporate manslaughter is committed where an organization commits a ‘gross breach’ of a ‘relevant duty of care’, leading to a person’s death

It makes for depressing reading for the government, that Britain is losing £100 billion per year on sick days, but small business owners should be even more concerned if they see a ‘sick leave culture’ forming in their own office While the government can deal with such losses better, small businesses could see their own profits slipping down the plughole, and a good sickness and absence policy could make all the difference between a thriving company and one that ends up going under