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Covid-19 Blog

Breathing Space Legislation - How does the Debt Respite Scheme affect Landlords?

Jason Hayter
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Jason Hayter, Landlord & Tenant lawyer, looks at the new Breathing Space Legislation. He provides an overview of the Debt Respite Scheme and discusses how the scheme affects landlords.

Should Flexible Working become a standard option for employees?

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As the nation began returning to work after lockdown, there have been calls for employers to make flexible working a standard option for employees. Paul Burton, Head of Employment at Frettens, discusses the implications of flexible working for employees and employers.

Landlords - How to deal with rent arrears during the pandemic

Jason Hayter
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Rent arrears are a real concern for UK landlords they can have a significant impact on their ability to pay their mortgage and ongoing bills.

Landlord & tenant lawyer Jason Hayter looks at landlords experiencing rent arrears during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Returning to work after lockdown

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Paul Burton, Head of Frettens' specialist employment law team, looks at the opening up of the economy and the implications for employers as people return to work starting April 12th

Bailiff ban on evictions extended to May

Jason Hayter
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Jason Hayter looks at the most recent eviction ban extension which was announced on March 10th 2021. He discusses what was announced and how it effects landlords and tenants in the UK.

Furlough Scheme extended until September

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Paul Burton looks at the changes to furlough and what the extension means for employers and the self-employed. What was announced in the budget? Why has furlough been extended?

Is long covid a disability?

Chris Dobbs
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Employment & HR law specialist, Chris Dobbs looks at whether Long Covid should be treated as a disability in the workplace, and advises how employers should handle it.

Ban on Bailiff enforcement of eviction Orders extended to March

Jason Hayter
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Jason Hayter looks at the latest extension to the ban of Bailiff enforcement of eviction which will run until March 31st, looking into substantial arrears and how they fit into the extension. As well as this, Jason compiles the contrasting reactions to the eviction ban extension and gives his own specialist view.

No jab, no job. Can an employer require you to take the COVID vaccine?

Chris Dobbs
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Specialist solicitor, Chris Dobbs looks at vaccination in the workplace. Can an employer force staff to be vaccinated? Can an employee be dismissed if they refuse the COVID vaccine? What is vaccine discrimination? Is anti-vax a philosophical belief? 

School Closures: What If Employees Can't Work?

Chris Dobbs
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Chris Dobbs, solicitor in our specialist Employment & HR team, looks at the options for employers and employees when balancing working from home with childcare. Can workers be furloughed for childcare? What are the unpaid leave entitlements? 

Lockdown 3.0: Updated support for businesses

Chris Dobbs
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In response to the latest national lockdown, HM Treasury has announced an extension of several of the support schemes for businesses affected by the pandemic. Chris Dobbs provides an overview.

furlough scheme extended to end of April 2021

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The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has just announced the furlough scheme is being extended until the end of April 2021, so an extra month on the previous announcement of the end of March 2021.

Review of Employment Law in 2020

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Paul Burton provides a short update as to what has happened, as well as touching on some of the biggest issues facing us in coming months.

Handling COVID Redundancies

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ACAS, TUC and CBI guidance on handling coronavirus redundancies ACAS has joined forces with the TUC and CBI to issue a statement on how best to handle redundancies stemming from the Covid pandemic. They recognise that redundancies may be unavoidable for...

Update on furlough, SEIS and Job Support Scheme - 5th November

Chris Dobbs
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Chancellor’s Statement to the House of Commons - 5th November 2020 UPDATE: The Chancellor announced changes to the furlough scheme on Thursday 17th December - the update can be read  here . Rishi Sunak has announced today that the...

The potential scale of furlough fraud

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The potential scale of furlough fraud

The National Audit Office reports that almost 1 in 10 workers were asked to work while on furlough

What are the new support measures for workers and businesses in tier 2?

Chris Dobbs
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Big changes to the Coronavirus Job Support Scheme, which was part of his winter economic plan and replaces the furlough scheme in November, were announced today. Chris Dobbs provides an overview.

Can WhatsApp be monitored by an employer?

Chris Dobbs
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How and when can an employer monitor employees WhatsApp messages. Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case where an employer used whatsapp messages in a discuplinary procedure.

Homeworking: The legalities and the practicalities

Chris Dobbs
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Will WFH continue after lockdown? Can you monitor remote employees? How do you write a working from home policy? Chris Dobbs, Employment Solicitor answers your questions.

How will the coronavirus job support scheme work?

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Paul Burton looks at the chancellor's winter economy plan, including the coronavirus job support scheme, viable jobs, pay as you grow and the VAT changes. 

what is the new furlough scheme?

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What is the new furlough scheme? How will it work, who is eligible and how long will the coronavirus job support scheme run for?

Writing a working from home policy

Chris Dobbs
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Should every business have a working from home policy? What should be included? Chris Dobbs, Employment & HR Law specialist examines an increasingly important topic.

Can an employer monitor working from home?

Chris Dobbs
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Chris Dobbs, solicitor in our specialist employment & HR team, offers a comprehensive guide to remote monitoring of employees working from home.

Can I refuse to return to work from furlough

Chris Dobbs
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Understandably, a lot of people are still concerned about the coronavirus and whether returning to work is safe. Chris Dobbs, employment law & HR specialist answers your questions.

Does the stamp duty holiday apply to buy to let property

Kym Gaisford
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Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a temporary stamp duty holiday in last week’s summer statement.

The announcement has been welcomed by many, as homebuyers are set to save thousands in Stamp Duty Land Tax.

Returning to work from furlough Q and A

Chris Dobbs
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As the government starts to wind down the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, many businesses are taking advantage of the flexibility in lock down rules and staffing options to reopen.

What is the flexible Furlough Scheme?

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What is the flexible furlough scheme and how will it work? An employment law expert gives an overview.

Why were there so many redundancies announced in early July

Chris Dobbs
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On 1st July, the BBC reported that coronavirus led to UK companies cutting 12,000 jobs in just two days. These job losses, the article claimed, were largely in high street retailers and, particularly badly hit by the pandemic, the aviation industry.

Many large companies, including H&M, Boots, and John Lewis announced redundancies in early July too.

Chris Dobbs, employment & HR specialist, looks at why so many redundancies are being announced at this time, and how the timing ties in to the furlough scheme.

Buying and selling a home during coronavirus

Jennifer Smith
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The property market seems to be moving very quickly since COVID-19 lockdown measures were eased.

However, many clients are wary of exchanging contracts for fear of what could happen if their sale or purchase were to be affected by coronavirus.

These concerns are amplified when a client’s sale forms part of a property chain.

Jennifer Smith, one of our bright, friendly  lawyers in our conveyancing team, answers some of the most common questions she’s been receiving about buying or selling a home during coronavirus.

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole property market

Clare Hallett
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Are we seeing a recovery in the local property market?

Clare Hallett is Partner in Frettens’ Residential Conveyancing Partner. With years of experience in both residential and commercial property, she’s seen a lot of ups and downs.

Here, she provides her thoughts on the local property market, how it has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, and how businesses are dealing with the challenges they face.

NEWS FLASH: More details on changes to CJRS and SEIS announced

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UPDATE: The Chancellor announced changes to the furlough scheme on Thursday 17th December - the update can be read  here . The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has just provided more detail regarding the changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme...

NEWS FLASH: CJRS extended to end of October

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UPDATE: The Chancellor announced changes to the furlough scheme on Thursday 17th December - the update can be read  here . Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, has just announced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will carry on as it is now until the...

HMRC open portal for CJRS

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HMRC has opened its portal for employers to claim under the government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) this morning.  Paul Burton went on to the website early this morning and it appeared to be working, although he could not test it...

NEWS FLASH: CJRS extended to end of June

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The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, has this afternoon announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is being extended by one month to the end of June.  When he originally announced the scheme he did say it would be kept under review and...

Treasury Direction on CJRS - cause for concern

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UPDATE: The Chancellor announced changes to the furlough scheme on Thursday 17th December - the update can be read  here . The Treasury issued a formal direction to HMRC yesterday concerning the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and it does...

NEWS FLASH: CJRS qualifying date changed

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The government has amended its guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) again today and, while there is only one real change, it is a very important one.  They have amended the qualification date for employees to be eligible for...

More government guidance on Job Retention Scheme

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The government has published not one, but two new sets of updates on the  guidance relating to the job retention scheme over the last week or so.  Chris Dobbs  summarises the additional information and clarification provided by the government...

Claiming wage costs for furloughed workers FAQs

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UPDATE: The Chancellor announced changes to the furlough scheme on Thursday 17th December - the update can be read  here . At the end of last week, the government released further details of the coronavirus job retention scheme, including the...

Carrying over holiday after coronavirus furlough period

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Annual leave and the coronavirus

Workers who are unable to take all of their statutory annual leave entitlement by the end of 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak will now be able to carry it over into the next two years.

Business secretary Alok Sharma announced on Friday that the measures would come into force.

The announcement comes after pressure from employers and the CBI. Furloughed workers returning may have to take a large amount of leave in a short space of time, leaving businesses short-staffed whilst trying to recover.

Employment law advice on coronavirus outbreak

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Paul Burton, Head of our Employment & HR team, has put together the following summary of advice for employers during the coronavirus outbreak. Including advice on SSP, termination, maternity, holiday accrual and qualification.

New measures to help self employed during coronavirus

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Paul Burton explains what the new measures mean for self-employed workers during the coronavirus outbreak. What will self-employed workers get and how do they claim financial support during the COVID-19 outbreak?

Coronavirus help for self-employed

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Paul Burton, head of our specialist employment team, explains:

  • What help is currently on offer for the self-employed during the coronavirus lockdown?
  • Why is it taking so long for the government to announce further help for the self employed?
  • When will the government announce the financial help for self-employed?
  • What is a self-employed worker?
  • How do I claim support as a self-employed worker?

What is a furloughed worker

Chris Dobbs
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Chris Dobbs outlines the definition of a furloughed worker and examines the coronavirus job retention scheme.

Update for Employers on Coronavirus school closures

Chris Dobbs
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The following is general guidance which, to the best of our knowledge, is correct as at the time of publication. This constantly evolving area of law is being amended regularly. We will endeavour to update this guidance accordingly. Updated 20th Jan at...

Coronavirus Employment Law Update

Chris Dobbs
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The following is general guidance which, to the best of our knowledge, is correct as at the time of publication. This constantly evolving area of law is being amended regularly. We will endeavor to update this guidance accordingly. Click here to read our...

Coronavirus Update

Chris Dobbs
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This article was updated on 11th March 2020 to include announcements made in the budget to help businesses deal with the effects of coronavirus. Click here to read the updated information . There has been an update since this information was...

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