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COVID-19 HK: Employment Update
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it is anticipated that more and more businesses will need to make plans for cost-cutting measures.
Read moreCOVID-19: Your workforce – furloughing - act to mitigate the risk of exposure to tax evasion offences as scheme could be open to abuse
Jim Harra, Chief Executive at HMRC, has informed a Treasury Committee meeting that he expects the government's multi-billion pound employee furlough scheme to be targeted by criminals seeking to exploit the £60 billion pledged in Chancellor Rishi Sunak's unprecedented Coronavirus protection package.
Read moreHot off the Press: COVID-19 - Your workforce: a Q&A on claiming for wage costs through the Job Retention Scheme
On 26th March, HMRC issued guidance on claiming for wage costs through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. We explore some answers to key questions and add some questions of our own.
Read moreCOVID-19 Your workforce: a caution against putting equality on the backburner
UK business, like much of the rest of the world, is and will, for some time, remain firmly in the grip of COVID-19's tentacles.
Read moreCOVID 19 Your workforce: What on earth is "furlough"?
Meaning of furlough, especially in the context of companies dealing with the impact of COVID-19.
Read moreCOVID-19 Your workforce: pay and costs - practical ideas our clients are exploring
COVID-19 Your workforce: pay and costs - practical ideas our clients are exploring. These are extraordinary times that place extraordinary pressures on all of us, including dealing with your workforce. We set out below some ideas that we are hearing about from our clients and some areas you may wish to think about in terms of your employee costs.
Read moreCOVID-19 Your workforce: supporting mental health when home working
COVID-19 Your workforce: supporting mental health when home working. Many of us are working from home during this crisis and while this can be an effective way of working for some, it is less happy for others; loneliness, caring for vulnerable dependants and challenging home environments are all being experienced. There may be members of your teams who fall into these categories.
Read moreSharpen your blue pencil: the doctrine of severance in employment cases
In Tillman v Egon Zehnder Ltd [2019] UKSC 32, one such business asked the Supreme Court to reconsider the law and to change it to be fit for modern day purposes. In its landmark judgment handed down in July, the Supreme Court has done so. The core facts of the case are not unusual. Egon Zehnder (EZ) is a global specialist executive search and recruitment business. EZ recruited Mary-Caroline Tillman in 2004. As the High Court judge observed, the company regarded Ms Tillman as “a bit special”. She was recruited into a senior role on a salary of £120,000 and first year bonus of £100,000 and then rose steadily through the ranks of the organisation. By 2012, Ms Tillman was joint global head of the company’s financial services practice and a shareholder in the Swiss holding company.
Read moreGender Pay Gap Reporting – are you ready?
Hear Patrick Brodie and Kelly Thomson discuss the requirements on businesses to comply with Gender Pay Gap Reporting legislation.
Read moreSome holiday pay reading
A new decision on holiday pay and commission.
Read moreEmployment update, December 2015
Implied terms: when can a term be implied into a contract?
Read moreEmployment update, November 2015
Penalty clauses: what is the test where a clause is claimed to be unenforceable?
Read moreEmployment update, October 2015
Whistleblowing: A dispute about terms of employment can be a matter of “public interest”
Read moreEmployment update, September 2015
HR assistance in disciplinary procedures: how much is too much?
Read moreRestrictive Covenant Clause Enforced Despite it Containing a Drafting Error
The High Court has just handed down its judgment in the case of Prophet Plc v Huggett.
Read moreDifferent Emails, Read Together, Can be a Qualifying Whistleblowing Disclosure
In the case of Norbrook Laboratories (2B) Limited v Shaw the EAT considered whether emails sent to different recipients could be taken as a whole to amount to a qualifying disclosure for the purposes of a whistleblowing claim.
Read moreBritish National Working Overseas Has No Right to Bring a Claim in the Employment Tribunals
For employers who engage staff to work overseas, determining whether the can bring a claim in the Employment Tribunals is becoming increasing difficult.
Read moreCollective Redundancy Consultation: Expiry of Fixed Term Contract Does Not Count Towards 20+ Headcount
University College v University of Stirling [2014] CSIH 5.
Read moreReport Card
We're casting our critical eye over the Government's employment law proposals and writing its school report.
Read moreFaith and Freedom
In a debate that has lasted several years, one of my colleagues and I have been at odds on the case of Lillian Ladele, the Islington registrar who refused to conduct civil partnership ceremonies.
Read moreAI in auditing: Embracing a new age for the profession
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rather new concept for many (ignoring those versed in 80’s Sci-Fi movies); it’s something many don’t know much about and certainly don’t use in our day-to-day lives (or at least appreciate we are using). However, that’s not the case for everyone. Auditors have long been reaping the benefits of AI, but are auditors just scratching the surface of what AI can offer and what impact will an increased use have on their insurance requirements and claims they face?
Read moreThaler v Comptroller [2023] UKSC 49: the UKSC rules that AI cannot be an 'inventor'
To the surprise of no one, the UK Supreme Court (UKSC) has finally ruled that an artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be an inventor for the purposes of UK patent law. This judgment accords with the decisions of the lower courts in the UK and the initial ruling of the UKIPO. It also reflects similar findings from most of courts around the world where the claimant, Dr Thaler, brought similar actions.
Read moreEU AI ACT-ion stations
The EU is forging ahead with its vision for AI. With wrapping up talks on the EU AI Act between the EU governments, the Commission and the parliamentary negotiators imminent, we bring you up to date on the EU's risk based approach, the scope of the Act, a timeline, key points that will form the basis of the discussions and next steps.
Read moreWhat To Know About AI Fraudsters Before Facing Disputes
Fraudsters are quick to weaponise new technological developments and artificial intelligence is proving no exception, with AI-assisted scams increasingly being reported in the news, including most recently one using a likeness of a BBC broadcaster.
Read moreGenerative AI and intellectual property rights—the UK government's position
The IPO is to produce a code of practice by the summer that will provide guidance to support AI firms in accessing copyright protected works as an input to their models.
Read moreSports Ticker (27 April 2023) – PL gambling sponsor ban, WWE x UFC merger and Schumacher's AI interview – a speed-read of commercial updates from the sports world
In a fortnight which saw Corach Rambler win the Grand National, the UK & Ireland submit its bid to host the UEFA Euro 2028 men's tournament, and 48,000 runners take to the streets for the London Marathon, we bring you updates on Spotify's new integration with Strava and Team GB's collaboration with Birds Eye. We also feature stories on a controversial AI-generated interview with Michael Schumacher and our own Kate O'Malley's sub-three hour marathon success.
Read moreICO publishes guidance on AI decision making
How can companies comply with data regulation when using AI to make decisions affecting individuals?
Read moreCAT Collective Proceedings - Summer 2024 update
Developments in the UK’s competition collective proceedings regime continue apace with new claims recently issued in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT).
Read moreUK authorities seize £179m from suspected criminals – up 16% in a year
UK authorities, including the SFO, HMRC and police, seized £179m last year[1] from criminals using draconian Confiscation Orders – an increase of 16% on £154m a year earlier, according to analysis of new data by international law firm RPC.
Read moreThe CAT's new approach: I can't afford a carriage (dispute)
Since the collective proceedings regime in the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) kicked off, a number of carriage disputes have arisen. So-called 'carriage disputes' arise when there are two or more competing proposed class representatives (PCRs) seeking certification (and therefore 'carriage') of overlapping class actions.
Read more2023 Update - CAT Collective Proceedings
A new era of consumer-focussed competition class actions is now well underway. It kicked off with the first collective proceedings order (CPO) granted by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) in Merricks in the summer of 2021, opening the gates for further collective claims to be certified.
Read moreTechnology in Insurance
On 16 June 2022 RPC hosted an afternoon of talks and panel sessions on the theme of 'Technology in Insurance', the culmination of the firm's TechWeek which brings market experts and lawyers together to discuss risks and opportunities with new technologies within different business sectors.
Read moreModel Articles deemed unsuitable for sole director companies
A recent decision of the High Court in Hashmi v Lorimer-Wing [2022] EWHC 191 (Ch) has suggested that the model articles for private companies are not suitable for companies with a sole director appointed.
Read moreA guide to buying and selling English residential property
With the advent of COVID-19, Brexit and global market volatility, the mature, fast-moving English real estate sector faces unprecedented challenges. However history has shown the English residential property market to be particularly resilient and many consider this a time of unique opportunity.
Read moreA licence to kill... a licence
In the second of a number of short articles we are producing in relation to businesses in the tech space, we will be discussing a real life example of what not to do when diligencing a tech company and its third party IP licence agreements.
Read moreNew regulations to permit assignment of receivables under commercial contracts now in force
After more than four years of consultation, draft regulations and revisions, the Business Contract Terms (Assignment of Receivables) Regulations 2018 (the Regulations) have now taken effect, and apply to all relevant contracts entered into on or after 31 December 2018.
Read moreHuawei and UK National Security - A new technology cold war?
Chinese technology giant, Huawei, has been making plenty of headlines recently. First, a number of Western governments (including the US, Australia and New Zealand) have banned Huawei equipment from being used in 5G networks, citing national security concerns. Next, Huawei's CFO was arrested in Canada in connection with alleged breaches of international sanctions.
Read moreWhat in the AI is going on… April to June 2024
Meta launched its newest generation of its open-source LLM (large language model), Llama 3, which is the technology that powers its AI systems. The launch of Llama 3 signals a step closer to human-like AI that can reason and bestow a memory. OpenAI also discussed plans for its next AI model, GPT-5. Like Llama 3, GPT-5 will see improvements to the model’s planning and reasoning capabilities, going beyond its current capability to deal with discrete tasks. GPT-5 is expected to be released later in the year.
Read moreCMA publishes update paper on AI Foundation Models
What is the state of play for the market of AI Foundation Models (FM) and what issues in the market is the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) most concerned about?
Read moreEU AI Act is signed!
What are the core elements of the EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act and how does it impact the regulation of AI systems?
Read moreOnline Safety Act: Ofcom consults on draft codes to protect children online
What must businesses do to ensure online safety for children under the latest codes of practice published by Ofcom?
Read moreUK’s Digital Regulation Co-operation Forum announces new AI and Digital Hub Pilot
What is the AI and Digital Hub and how can AI innovators use it?
Read moreEU designates Apple a gatekeeper for iPadOS but not for iMessage
Can a business avoid being designated a “gatekeeper” under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) even if it satisfies the quantitative criteria under the DMA?
Read moreNew EU guidelines on mitigating risks for electoral
What are the European Commission’s new guidelines and how do they protect the integrity of electoral processes?
Read moreCyber_Bytes - Issue 46
Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our regular round-up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.
Read moreCyber_Bytes - Issue 45
Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our regular round-up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.
Read moreCyber_Bytes - Issue 44
Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our regular round-up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.
Read moreCyber_Bytes - Issue 43
Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our regular round-up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.
Read moreCyber_Bytes - Issue 42
Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our regular round-up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.
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