Recent media reports have highlighted the apparently surprising case of Kane v Debmat Surfacing Ltd. An employee who was off sick, and visited a local pub, was found by an employment tribunal to have been unfairly dismissed by his employer. The employer sacked him for misconduct for attending the pub when he was supposed to be off sick, and for lying to his boss about it. This case has been reported on the basis that an employment tribunal has decided that employees can go to the pub while off sick; the reality, however, is a little more complicated.
The recent pandemic has resulted in many office-based employees working from home. At the outset, there was significant disruption as many businesses found themselves facing challenging times as they required to change their way of working. Over a year down the line, however, many office-based employees continue to work from home, they have adapted well to this new way of working and have embraced the benefits it can offer.
As restrictions lift and the world of business resumes, trepidation grows for Professional Indemnity insurers who are likely to be faced with an increase in claims related to COVID-19 adapted business procedures.
The Dormant Assets scheme was originally introduced by the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 (“2008 Act”). The aim of the Scheme was to allow social and environmental causes in the UK to benefit from ‘dormant assets’ of which Banks and Building societies had been unable to reunite with their owners. The Dormant Assets Bill proposes to significantly expand the current scheme by allowing assets from additional sectors to be transferred to the Reclaim Fund (“RF”), to be subsequently distributed to British charities. The Government reports that “estimates suggest that an expanded Scheme has the potential to make around £880million available for social and environmental causes in the UK”, of which 8.4% would be attributed to Scotland.
I know, I know – who wants to read about trusts!? It’s either too boring or too complicated to get into and nobody really has enough time in the day to delve any further. But, please humour me – trusts are actually quite interesting and could be extremely useful for you and your loved ones.
