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Your rights after insolvency

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:01:42 GMT

When a business has become legally insolvent, a trustee, receiver, liquidator or supervisor of an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) may be appointed and they will decide whether to keep the employees on or dismiss them.

Business Clinic: Innovation is key to helping you flourish in a testing climate

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:57:08 GMT

QUESTION: With the business climate deteriorating I want to ensure that I am running my business to optimum efficiency. Have you any advice?

Corporate strategy should not be cut... even in tough times

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:33:10 GMT

Pay not always ‘guaranteed’

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 11:13:18 GMT

Following on from last week’s article about lay-offs and short-time working, this article will look in more detail at the issue of guarantee payments.

Communicating key policies to staff is vital to any business

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:17:36 GMT

Question: I employ a large number of migrant workers from Eastern Europe, and many of them have only a limited grasp of English. What action must I take to ensure that these employees know my company’s key policies?

Tackling lay off and short time working

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:06:08 GMT

As all the newspaper headlines tell us, the credit crunch is having an effect on employment, with more people being laid off or put on short-time working and this is the focus for this article.

Supply services |or produce goods which are vital

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:38:47 GMT

Question: Now that the Northern Ireland economy has slipped into recession, what can we do to maximise the survival chances of our company?

Working Brief: Changes in maternity law for the better

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:26:36 GMT

Following a High Court judgment, working parents on maternity or adoption leave will benefit from a change in the law.

Exclusion of contractors in spotlight yet again

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:33:06 GMT

Last month I commented on the decision in the McLaughlin & Harvey case in which Mr Justice Deeny held that the firm had been wrongly excluded from a framework of contractors selected to implement various construction projects over the next four years at a cost of £500 to £800m.

How to survive losing your job

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:53:29 GMT

In the financial meltdown, the threat of redundancy is worrying. Jane Hardy hears how one man coped, plus gets some expert tips

NI universities' bullying shame

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:33:20 GMT

Northern Ireland’s two universities have been listed among the worst in a survey on bullying of university staff across the UK.

Taking payment online need hold no fear for businesses

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:50:47 GMT

QUESTION: Can you advise on the options available for accepting online payments via my business website?

Siobhan Harding: The lowdown on sick pay laws

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:30:29 GMT

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum amount employers must pay to employees who are off work because of illness, disability, industrial injury or disease, investigation of possible illness/disease, or are by law prevented from working in order to prevent the spread of certain infectious diseases.

Research potential export markets before committing

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:38:16 GMT

QUESTION: I want to explore export opportunities for my business. Can you advise on how to go about researching overseas markets?

Paper gets to work on benefits

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:13:39 GMT

This week I am focusing on the introduction of a new social security benefit which will have some long-term implications for the world of work.

How to tackle firms breaching contracts

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:34:48 GMT

QUESTION: I’ve heard that the credit crunch has meant that, intentionally or not, companies are increasingly breaking their contracts. How can they do this and legally where do I stand if this happens to me in my business?

Keep up with race legislation

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:22:27 GMT

An English pipe fitter who was working in Dublin has been awarded 20,000 euro (£15,630) in compensation after being racially abused in his workplace.

Is your business being left on the scrap heap?

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:20:20 GMT

Designed to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and improve recycling, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (or WEEE Directive) has been in operation for over a year, but many businesses remain unaware of or are confused by its requirements.

Parents' flexitime reforms halted

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:33:23 GMT

Plans to allow 4.5 million parents to work flexibly are to be delayed by the Government as it searches for ways to help businesses survive the economic downturn.

Parent flexitime reforms halted

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:33:23 GMT

Plans to allow 4.5 million parents to work flexibly are to be delayed by the Government as it searches for ways to help businesses survive the economic downturn.

Protecting your key people is always a worthwhile move

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:54:28 GMT

QUESTION: What sort of plans should I be looking to put in place to protect my business from unforeseen events?

A positive attitude is your best asset during a recession

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:38:59 GMT

QUESTION: Credit is really tight, business risks are increasing, investment is stalling, inflation is rising, asset values are falling. What is a business leader to do?

Working Brief: Knowing your rights on wage increases

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:06:59 GMT

From Wednesday, October 1, the rates of National Minimum Wage (NMW) are increasing. Revised rates are: workers aged 22 or over £5.73 per hour, workers aged 18-21 £4.77 per hour and workers aged 16 and 17 over compulsory school age £3.53 per hour.

Boasting about sickie could get you the sack

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 07:45:40 GMT

So you've told the boss you have a bad cold, but you're really at home recovering from a hangover. And you've posted this boast on Facebook.

Connecting with audience is key to online marketing

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:38:11 GMT

QUESTION: Why do so few people read the e-mail newsletters which we circulate to the customers of our manufacturing business as part of our marketing campaign?