Running your business
Running your business
When you are running your business, you want to be focused on the things that make you money, and not worrying about non-core functions such as legal. That being said having an understanding is key.
This section covers a number of different legal matters that might come up while you are running your business.
Hiring & Managing Employees
Communications and equipment policy
What is it?
Data protection and data security policy
What is it?
A data protection policy is an internal document that serves as the core of a business’s GDPR compliance practices.
It explains the GDPR’s requirements to employees and states the business’s commitment to compliance. The policy does not need to include specific details on how the business will meet the Regulation’s requirements, as these will be covered in the business’s procedures.
Why do you need a GDPR data protection policy?
-
to provide the groundwork from which your business can achieve GDPR compliance.
-
to make the GDPR understandable to your staff.
-
to prove that your business is committed to GDPR compliance.
Why is it important?
We highly recommend our clients to have the following data protection related policies :
a)Encryption policies
b)Acceptable use policies
c) Password policies
c)Email policies
d)Data-processing policies
Risks
Your business’s policies are at the heart of your business operations. They set out exactly how employees should handle certain issues, ensuring that everybody is following agreed best practices.
Effective policies are all the more important now that the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) are in place. The DPA and the GDPR are not just about implementing technological and organisational measures to protect the information your business stores.
You also need to demonstrate your compliance, which is why data security policies are essential.
Employee training is vital to ensure each of these policies is maintained.
For advice and more information on Data Protection, contact your expert Data Protection solicitors at Pure Business Law.
Social media policy
Equal opportunities policy
Flexible working policy
Health and safety policy
Grievance procedure
Redundancy policy
Sickness policy
Maternity policy
Parental leave policy
Paternity policy
Shared parental leave policy
Environmental policy
HR Policies
Communications and equipment policy
What is it?
Data protection and data security policy
What is it?
A data protection policy is an internal document that serves as the core of a business’s GDPR compliance practices.
It explains the GDPR’s requirements to employees and states the business’s commitment to compliance. The policy does not need to include specific details on how the business will meet the Regulation’s requirements, as these will be covered in the business’s procedures.
Why do you need a GDPR data protection policy?
-
to provide the groundwork from which your business can achieve GDPR compliance.
-
to make the GDPR understandable to your staff.
-
to prove that your business is committed to GDPR compliance.
Why is it important?
We highly recommend our clients to have the following data protection related policies :
a)Encryption policies
b)Acceptable use policies
c) Password policies
c)Email policies
d)Data-processing policies
Risks
Your business’s policies are at the heart of your business operations. They set out exactly how employees should handle certain issues, ensuring that everybody is following agreed best practices.
Effective policies are all the more important now that the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) are in place. The DPA and the GDPR are not just about implementing technological and organisational measures to protect the information your business stores.
You also need to demonstrate your compliance, which is why data security policies are essential.
Employee training is vital to ensure each of these policies is maintained.
For advice and more information on Data Protection, contact your expert Data Protection solicitors at Pure Business Law.
Social media policy
Equal opportunities policy
Flexible working policy
Health and safety policy
Grievance procedure
Redundancy policy
Sickness policy
Maternity policy
Parental leave policy
Paternity policy
Shared parental leave policy
Environmental policy
Protecting your IP
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Business Relationships
Communications and equipment policy
What is it?
Data protection and data security policy
What is it?
A data protection policy is an internal document that serves as the core of a business’s GDPR compliance practices.
It explains the GDPR’s requirements to employees and states the business’s commitment to compliance. The policy does not need to include specific details on how the business will meet the Regulation’s requirements, as these will be covered in the business’s procedures.
Why do you need a GDPR data protection policy?
-
to provide the groundwork from which your business can achieve GDPR compliance.
-
to make the GDPR understandable to your staff.
-
to prove that your business is committed to GDPR compliance.
Why is it important?
We highly recommend our clients to have the following data protection related policies :
a)Encryption policies
b)Acceptable use policies
c) Password policies
c)Email policies
d)Data-processing policies
Risks
Your business’s policies are at the heart of your business operations. They set out exactly how employees should handle certain issues, ensuring that everybody is following agreed best practices.
Effective policies are all the more important now that the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) are in place. The DPA and the GDPR are not just about implementing technological and organisational measures to protect the information your business stores.
You also need to demonstrate your compliance, which is why data security policies are essential.
Employee training is vital to ensure each of these policies is maintained.
For advice and more information on Data Protection, contact your expert Data Protection solicitors at Pure Business Law.
Social media policy
Equal opportunities policy
Flexible working policy
Health and safety policy
Grievance procedure
Redundancy policy
Sickness policy
Maternity policy
Parental leave policy
Paternity policy
Shared parental leave policy
Environmental policy
Running an online business
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Buying & Selling Goods & Services
Commercial lease
Home office rental agreement
Office sharing agreement
Rent deposit deed
Lease Agreement
Building works/Construction Agreement
Co-working Agreement
We help you prepare co-working agreements if you are setting up a business hub.
Managing a company
Settlement agreement
What is it?
A Settlement Agreement is a binding contract between an employer and employee which settles claims that an employee may have against their employer. Whilst such an agreement is usually used in relation to be ending the employment it may also be used to settle a dispute that has arisen between an employer and employee where there is no intention by either party to end the employment.
Why is it important?
The terms of the settlement agreement must be mutually agreed between the employer and employee and must include a waiver of the specific claims which the employee has or could have. The agreement should contain a breakdown of the payments which have been agreed and should also state whether any of the payments are to be paid to the employee free of tax. Payments of up to £30k compensation can often be paid without deduction of tax if the payment is being made on an “ex gratia basis” (i.e. it is a payment you have voluntarily decided to make rather than one that you are legally obliged to make) or as compensation damages for a breach of contract.
Risks?
For a settlement agreement to be legally binding it must meet a number of statutory requirements eg it must be in writing, must specify the particular claims or complaints which the agreement is settling and the employee must have received advice on the terms and effect of the agreement from an independent solicitor or a trade union official whose advice is covered by insurance.
If the settlement agreement does not meet all of the statutory requirements, it will not be binding and the employee can still bring claims against the employer relating to the claims allegedly “settled” by the settlement agreement.It is a good idea to take proper legal advice before you decide to enter into a settlement agreement.
Reference letter
What is it?
A Reference letter is a letter that is usually written to testify to a person’s or (sometimes) a company’s skills, experience, character and or achievements. It is used in various circumstances eg when a candidate applies for a job and needs a reference to support their application, if a job candidate is made a job offer and is asked to provide a reference letter before the contract can be signed, a landlord asks a prospective tenant to provide a reference letter testifying to their character and good financial statues, a student applies for funding and is asked to provide a reference letter or a company applies for a tender and is asked to provide reference letters testifying to their ability to do the job and their trustworthiness.
Why is it important?
A Reference letter is a formal document and should be written in a business-like style. Do not mention any weaknesses that the candidate has or say anything that could be construed as derogatory or libel. If you honestly feel that the applicant has no good qualities or if you have had a dispute with them in the past you should tell them to get a reference letter from someone else. An employer must give a reference if there was a written agreement to do so and they are in a regulated industry such as Financial services.
Risks
You are under no obligation to give a work reference but if you do it must be fair and accurate. Your employee may be able to sue you in court and claim damages if you give a reference, they think is misleading or unfair. To do so the employee must be able to show that (a ) the reference is misleading or inaccurate and (b) they suffered a loss eg a job offer was withdrawn.It is essential that you do not lie in it or you could be sued.
Need some advice? Contact our employment solicitors.
Settlement agreements & Ref
Settlement agreement
What is it?
A Settlement Agreement is a binding contract between an employer and employee which settles claims that an employee may have against their employer. Whilst such an agreement is usually used in relation to be ending the employment it may also be used to settle a dispute that has arisen between an employer and employee where there is no intention by either party to end the employment.
Why is it important?
The terms of the settlement agreement must be mutually agreed between the employer and employee and must include a waiver of the specific claims which the employee has or could have. The agreement should contain a breakdown of the payments which have been agreed and should also state whether any of the payments are to be paid to the employee free of tax. Payments of up to £30k compensation can often be paid without deduction of tax if the payment is being made on an “ex gratia basis” (i.e. it is a payment you have voluntarily decided to make rather than one that you are legally obliged to make) or as compensation damages for a breach of contract.
Risks?
For a settlement agreement to be legally binding it must meet a number of statutory requirements eg it must be in writing, must specify the particular claims or complaints which the agreement is settling and the employee must have received advice on the terms and effect of the agreement from an independent solicitor or a trade union official whose advice is covered by insurance.
If the settlement agreement does not meet all of the statutory requirements, it will not be binding and the employee can still bring claims against the employer relating to the claims allegedly “settled” by the settlement agreement.It is a good idea to take proper legal advice before you decide to enter into a settlement agreement.
Reference letter
What is it?
A Reference letter is a letter that is usually written to testify to a person’s or (sometimes) a company’s skills, experience, character and or achievements. It is used in various circumstances eg when a candidate applies for a job and needs a reference to support their application, if a job candidate is made a job offer and is asked to provide a reference letter before the contract can be signed, a landlord asks a prospective tenant to provide a reference letter testifying to their character and good financial statues, a student applies for funding and is asked to provide a reference letter or a company applies for a tender and is asked to provide reference letters testifying to their ability to do the job and their trustworthiness.
Why is it important?
A Reference letter is a formal document and should be written in a business-like style. Do not mention any weaknesses that the candidate has or say anything that could be construed as derogatory or libel. If you honestly feel that the applicant has no good qualities or if you have had a dispute with them in the past you should tell them to get a reference letter from someone else. An employer must give a reference if there was a written agreement to do so and they are in a regulated industry such as Financial services.
Risks
You are under no obligation to give a work reference but if you do it must be fair and accurate. Your employee may be able to sue you in court and claim damages if you give a reference, they think is misleading or unfair. To do so the employee must be able to show that (a ) the reference is misleading or inaccurate and (b) they suffered a loss eg a job offer was withdrawn.It is essential that you do not lie in it or you could be sued.
Need some advice? Contact our employment solicitors.
Commercial notices
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Letting a commercial property
Commercial lease
Home office rental agreement
Office sharing agreement
Rent deposit deed
Lease Agreement
Building works/Construction Agreement
Co-working Agreement
We help you prepare co-working agreements if you are setting up a business hub.
Sale and Purchase of Commerial Property
Communications and equipment policy
What is it?
Data protection and data security policy
What is it?
A data protection policy is an internal document that serves as the core of a business’s GDPR compliance practices.
It explains the GDPR’s requirements to employees and states the business’s commitment to compliance. The policy does not need to include specific details on how the business will meet the Regulation’s requirements, as these will be covered in the business’s procedures.
Why do you need a GDPR data protection policy?
-
to provide the groundwork from which your business can achieve GDPR compliance.
-
to make the GDPR understandable to your staff.
-
to prove that your business is committed to GDPR compliance.
Why is it important?
We highly recommend our clients to have the following data protection related policies :
a)Encryption policies
b)Acceptable use policies
c) Password policies
c)Email policies
d)Data-processing policies
Risks
Your business’s policies are at the heart of your business operations. They set out exactly how employees should handle certain issues, ensuring that everybody is following agreed best practices.
Effective policies are all the more important now that the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) are in place. The DPA and the GDPR are not just about implementing technological and organisational measures to protect the information your business stores.
You also need to demonstrate your compliance, which is why data security policies are essential.
Employee training is vital to ensure each of these policies is maintained.
For advice and more information on Data Protection, contact your expert Data Protection solicitors at Pure Business Law.
Social media policy
Equal opportunities policy
Flexible working policy
Health and safety policy
Grievance procedure
Redundancy policy
Sickness policy
Maternity policy
Parental leave policy
Paternity policy
Shared parental leave policy
Environmental policy
Buying & Selling a business
Settlement agreement
What is it?
A Settlement Agreement is a binding contract between an employer and employee which settles claims that an employee may have against their employer. Whilst such an agreement is usually used in relation to be ending the employment it may also be used to settle a dispute that has arisen between an employer and employee where there is no intention by either party to end the employment.
Why is it important?
The terms of the settlement agreement must be mutually agreed between the employer and employee and must include a waiver of the specific claims which the employee has or could have. The agreement should contain a breakdown of the payments which have been agreed and should also state whether any of the payments are to be paid to the employee free of tax. Payments of up to £30k compensation can often be paid without deduction of tax if the payment is being made on an “ex gratia basis” (i.e. it is a payment you have voluntarily decided to make rather than one that you are legally obliged to make) or as compensation damages for a breach of contract.
Risks?
For a settlement agreement to be legally binding it must meet a number of statutory requirements eg it must be in writing, must specify the particular claims or complaints which the agreement is settling and the employee must have received advice on the terms and effect of the agreement from an independent solicitor or a trade union official whose advice is covered by insurance.
If the settlement agreement does not meet all of the statutory requirements, it will not be binding and the employee can still bring claims against the employer relating to the claims allegedly “settled” by the settlement agreement.It is a good idea to take proper legal advice before you decide to enter into a settlement agreement.
Reference letter
What is it?
A Reference letter is a letter that is usually written to testify to a person’s or (sometimes) a company’s skills, experience, character and or achievements. It is used in various circumstances eg when a candidate applies for a job and needs a reference to support their application, if a job candidate is made a job offer and is asked to provide a reference letter before the contract can be signed, a landlord asks a prospective tenant to provide a reference letter testifying to their character and good financial statues, a student applies for funding and is asked to provide a reference letter or a company applies for a tender and is asked to provide reference letters testifying to their ability to do the job and their trustworthiness.
Why is it important?
A Reference letter is a formal document and should be written in a business-like style. Do not mention any weaknesses that the candidate has or say anything that could be construed as derogatory or libel. If you honestly feel that the applicant has no good qualities or if you have had a dispute with them in the past you should tell them to get a reference letter from someone else. An employer must give a reference if there was a written agreement to do so and they are in a regulated industry such as Financial services.
Risks
You are under no obligation to give a work reference but if you do it must be fair and accurate. Your employee may be able to sue you in court and claim damages if you give a reference, they think is misleading or unfair. To do so the employee must be able to show that (a ) the reference is misleading or inaccurate and (b) they suffered a loss eg a job offer was withdrawn.It is essential that you do not lie in it or you could be sued.
Need some advice? Contact our employment solicitors.
Operating as a Sole Trader
Trademark (UK, EU, US, China)
-
words (eg the trademark “Nandos”) -
pictures and words (eg the Pure Business Law trademark). -
slogans (eg the Lidl strap line “Big on quality, Lidl on price”) -
colours (eg the Cadbury Dairy Milk purple as owned by Kraft ). -
sounds (eg the Match of the Day theme song played when their logo appears at the beginning of football matches) and -
Logos (eg the Mac OS logo); -
3D shapes (eg the Pepsi cola bottle shape)
Patent (Worldwide)
Should I register my invention as a patent?
-
You can prevent others using your product or process if they intend to use it for commercial purposes. -
You can profit from your patent by only permitting certain people to use it for commercial purposes and only on condition that they pay you or give you a percentage of the profits they make from using your patent.
-
The PATLIB (patent library) centre -
A Patent attorney through the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys at www.cipa.org.uk
IP Assignment Agreement
Registering Designs
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)/Letter of confidentiality
one-way confidentiality agreement
Assignment of intellectual property
Copyright
Ending or Assigning an Existing Agreement
Communications and equipment policy
What is it?
Data protection and data security policy
What is it?
A data protection policy is an internal document that serves as the core of a business’s GDPR compliance practices.
It explains the GDPR’s requirements to employees and states the business’s commitment to compliance. The policy does not need to include specific details on how the business will meet the Regulation’s requirements, as these will be covered in the business’s procedures.
Why do you need a GDPR data protection policy?
-
to provide the groundwork from which your business can achieve GDPR compliance.
-
to make the GDPR understandable to your staff.
-
to prove that your business is committed to GDPR compliance.
Why is it important?
We highly recommend our clients to have the following data protection related policies :
a)Encryption policies
b)Acceptable use policies
c) Password policies
c)Email policies
d)Data-processing policies
Risks
Your business’s policies are at the heart of your business operations. They set out exactly how employees should handle certain issues, ensuring that everybody is following agreed best practices.
Effective policies are all the more important now that the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) are in place. The DPA and the GDPR are not just about implementing technological and organisational measures to protect the information your business stores.
You also need to demonstrate your compliance, which is why data security policies are essential.
Employee training is vital to ensure each of these policies is maintained.
For advice and more information on Data Protection, contact your expert Data Protection solicitors at Pure Business Law.
Social media policy
Equal opportunities policy
Flexible working policy
Health and safety policy
Grievance procedure
Redundancy policy
Sickness policy
Maternity policy
Parental leave policy
Paternity policy
Shared parental leave policy
Environmental policy
Health & Safety
Commercial lease
Home office rental agreement
Office sharing agreement
Rent deposit deed
Lease Agreement
Building works/Construction Agreement
Co-working Agreement
We help you prepare co-working agreements if you are setting up a business hub.
Planning & Highways
Settlement agreement
What is it?
A Settlement Agreement is a binding contract between an employer and employee which settles claims that an employee may have against their employer. Whilst such an agreement is usually used in relation to be ending the employment it may also be used to settle a dispute that has arisen between an employer and employee where there is no intention by either party to end the employment.
Why is it important?
The terms of the settlement agreement must be mutually agreed between the employer and employee and must include a waiver of the specific claims which the employee has or could have. The agreement should contain a breakdown of the payments which have been agreed and should also state whether any of the payments are to be paid to the employee free of tax. Payments of up to £30k compensation can often be paid without deduction of tax if the payment is being made on an “ex gratia basis” (i.e. it is a payment you have voluntarily decided to make rather than one that you are legally obliged to make) or as compensation damages for a breach of contract.
Risks?
For a settlement agreement to be legally binding it must meet a number of statutory requirements eg it must be in writing, must specify the particular claims or complaints which the agreement is settling and the employee must have received advice on the terms and effect of the agreement from an independent solicitor or a trade union official whose advice is covered by insurance.
If the settlement agreement does not meet all of the statutory requirements, it will not be binding and the employee can still bring claims against the employer relating to the claims allegedly “settled” by the settlement agreement.It is a good idea to take proper legal advice before you decide to enter into a settlement agreement.
Reference letter
What is it?
A Reference letter is a letter that is usually written to testify to a person’s or (sometimes) a company’s skills, experience, character and or achievements. It is used in various circumstances eg when a candidate applies for a job and needs a reference to support their application, if a job candidate is made a job offer and is asked to provide a reference letter before the contract can be signed, a landlord asks a prospective tenant to provide a reference letter testifying to their character and good financial statues, a student applies for funding and is asked to provide a reference letter or a company applies for a tender and is asked to provide reference letters testifying to their ability to do the job and their trustworthiness.
Why is it important?
A Reference letter is a formal document and should be written in a business-like style. Do not mention any weaknesses that the candidate has or say anything that could be construed as derogatory or libel. If you honestly feel that the applicant has no good qualities or if you have had a dispute with them in the past you should tell them to get a reference letter from someone else. An employer must give a reference if there was a written agreement to do so and they are in a regulated industry such as Financial services.
Risks
You are under no obligation to give a work reference but if you do it must be fair and accurate. Your employee may be able to sue you in court and claim damages if you give a reference, they think is misleading or unfair. To do so the employee must be able to show that (a ) the reference is misleading or inaccurate and (b) they suffered a loss eg a job offer was withdrawn.It is essential that you do not lie in it or you could be sued.
Need some advice? Contact our employment solicitors.
Managing employee performance
Settlement agreement
What is it?
A Settlement Agreement is a binding contract between an employer and employee which settles claims that an employee may have against their employer. Whilst such an agreement is usually used in relation to be ending the employment it may also be used to settle a dispute that has arisen between an employer and employee where there is no intention by either party to end the employment.
Why is it important?
The terms of the settlement agreement must be mutually agreed between the employer and employee and must include a waiver of the specific claims which the employee has or could have. The agreement should contain a breakdown of the payments which have been agreed and should also state whether any of the payments are to be paid to the employee free of tax. Payments of up to £30k compensation can often be paid without deduction of tax if the payment is being made on an “ex gratia basis” (i.e. it is a payment you have voluntarily decided to make rather than one that you are legally obliged to make) or as compensation damages for a breach of contract.
Risks?
For a settlement agreement to be legally binding it must meet a number of statutory requirements eg it must be in writing, must specify the particular claims or complaints which the agreement is settling and the employee must have received advice on the terms and effect of the agreement from an independent solicitor or a trade union official whose advice is covered by insurance.
If the settlement agreement does not meet all of the statutory requirements, it will not be binding and the employee can still bring claims against the employer relating to the claims allegedly “settled” by the settlement agreement.It is a good idea to take proper legal advice before you decide to enter into a settlement agreement.
Reference letter
What is it?
A Reference letter is a letter that is usually written to testify to a person’s or (sometimes) a company’s skills, experience, character and or achievements. It is used in various circumstances eg when a candidate applies for a job and needs a reference to support their application, if a job candidate is made a job offer and is asked to provide a reference letter before the contract can be signed, a landlord asks a prospective tenant to provide a reference letter testifying to their character and good financial statues, a student applies for funding and is asked to provide a reference letter or a company applies for a tender and is asked to provide reference letters testifying to their ability to do the job and their trustworthiness.
Why is it important?
A Reference letter is a formal document and should be written in a business-like style. Do not mention any weaknesses that the candidate has or say anything that could be construed as derogatory or libel. If you honestly feel that the applicant has no good qualities or if you have had a dispute with them in the past you should tell them to get a reference letter from someone else. An employer must give a reference if there was a written agreement to do so and they are in a regulated industry such as Financial services.
Risks
You are under no obligation to give a work reference but if you do it must be fair and accurate. Your employee may be able to sue you in court and claim damages if you give a reference, they think is misleading or unfair. To do so the employee must be able to show that (a ) the reference is misleading or inaccurate and (b) they suffered a loss eg a job offer was withdrawn.It is essential that you do not lie in it or you could be sued.
Need some advice? Contact our employment solicitors.
Reorganisation & Redundancies
Communications and equipment policy
What is it?
Data protection and data security policy
What is it?
A data protection policy is an internal document that serves as the core of a business’s GDPR compliance practices.
It explains the GDPR’s requirements to employees and states the business’s commitment to compliance. The policy does not need to include specific details on how the business will meet the Regulation’s requirements, as these will be covered in the business’s procedures.
Why do you need a GDPR data protection policy?
-
to provide the groundwork from which your business can achieve GDPR compliance.
-
to make the GDPR understandable to your staff.
-
to prove that your business is committed to GDPR compliance.
Why is it important?
We highly recommend our clients to have the following data protection related policies :
a)Encryption policies
b)Acceptable use policies
c) Password policies
c)Email policies
d)Data-processing policies
Risks
Your business’s policies are at the heart of your business operations. They set out exactly how employees should handle certain issues, ensuring that everybody is following agreed best practices.
Effective policies are all the more important now that the Data Protection Act 2018 and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) are in place. The DPA and the GDPR are not just about implementing technological and organisational measures to protect the information your business stores.
You also need to demonstrate your compliance, which is why data security policies are essential.
Employee training is vital to ensure each of these policies is maintained.
For advice and more information on Data Protection, contact your expert Data Protection solicitors at Pure Business Law.
Social media policy
Equal opportunities policy
Flexible working policy
Health and safety policy
Grievance procedure
Redundancy policy
Sickness policy
Maternity policy
Parental leave policy
Paternity policy
Shared parental leave policy
Environmental policy