Restrictive Covenants

A Restrictive Covenant is a contractual term restricting an employee's activities after termination but is void for being in restraint of trade and contrary to public policy unless the employer can show that: It has a legitimate proprietary interest that it is appropriate to protect. The protection sought is no more than is reasonable having regard to the interests of the parties and the public interest. General An employer cannot impose a covenant merely to stop someone competing, but it can seek to stop that person using or damaging something which legitimately belongs to it. This type of restriction is to be distinguished from the duty of confidentiality that an employee owes to an employer. The duty of confidentiality is founded in common law and does not require an express restraint to be…

Stress In The Workplace

According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), over 400,000 employees suffer stress, depression or anxiety caused or made worse by their current or past work.  Over 13 million working days are lost each year as a result of stress. In addition to loss of productivity, employers need to take care not to put themselves at risk of a claim from an employee, resulting in both financial penalties and potential loss of reputation.  O2 was ordered to pay nearly £110,000 in damages to an accountant who suffered ill health, having requested assistance on a number of occasions. Through taking a positive approach to tackling work related stress your business also stands to benefit from improved morale amongst staff and reduced cost of absences, sickness cover and recruitment. Stress is defined as: 'the adverse reaction people…

New Rights For Agency Workers

New laws protecting agency workers come into force on 1 October 2011. For example, from the start of their assignment, agency workers will be entitled to access any collective facilities and amenities that other employees or workers within a business have access to (such as child-care facilities). Who is an agency worker? An agency worker is any individual who: Is supplied by a temporary work agency (TWA) to work temporarily for and under the supervision and direction of your business; and Has a contract with the TWA, which is either: a contract of employment with the TWA; or any other contract to perform work and services personally for the TWA. A TWA is an employment business that supplies workers to hirers for temporary work (as opposed to an employment…