Settlement Agreement Lawyers' Guide - Using Settlement Agreements To Resolve Employment Issues

Settlement agreements are legally binding contracts in which one person, usually an employee, agrees to waive their rights to bring a claim in the employment tribunal or a court in return for another person, typically their employer, agreeing to do something, such as paying them a sum of money and agreeing to give them a reference. As Kalpesh Nakeshree, employment lawyer at Ware & Kay in York, Wetherby & Malton explains, used properly settlement agreements can be an effective tool for dealing with workplace problems in a discrete and controlled way: 'If you have an issue with an employee or someone else who works for you, negotiating a mutually acceptable resolution is often the best way to deal with things.  Recording the terms of that resolution in a settlement agreement ensures there can be no…

Ware & Kay Solicitors Strengthens Residential Property Team

York - 8th May, 2018 Leading local law firm, Ware & Kay Solicitors, has expanded its residential property team with the appointment of William Baggaley who has joined the team as a Residential Property Solicitor. Originally from Leeds, William arrives at Ware & Kay with over 7 years' experience in Property Law.  He studied at Staffordshire University Law School before qualifying as a Solicitor in 2002 and starting his career in Leeds.  With a breadth of experience across the full residential property spectrum, William has represented a number of high profile clients and is extremely well-regarded within the industry. William specialises in all areas of buying & selling property from the straight forward to the more complicated, including shared ownership, new build, high value transactions, unregistered properties, remortgages and equity release mortgages, Deeds of Gift…

Make A Will During May

Leave your legacy to help us continue ours. If, like many other people you have been putting off writing your Will, this is your chance to put that right. Ware & Kay Solicitors has teamed up with Martin House to give you the opportunity to have your basic Will written for just £60 or £110 (inc. VAT) for a pair of basic matching (mirror) Wills - a considerable discount on their usual price. Legacies are vitally important to Martin House. In fact, they make up more than a quarter of our entire voluntary income, meaning the cost of caring for one in four of our children is covered by gifts left in Wills. Over half of UK adults have not made a Will. It's not always easy to think about what might happen when…

Ware & Kay Solicitors Supports Wetherby Rugby Union Club

As part of Ware & Kay Solicitors' involvement in community activities the firm are supporting Wetherby Rugby Union Club by hosting a corporate event on Saturday 2nd April for clients and professionals. Ware & Kay have enjoyed a strong working relationship with Wetherby Rugby Club.  They have also shown their commitment over the years in several ways and are now providing match-day sponsorship. Wetherby Rugby Club, which is due to play against Thornensians from Doncaster, has not been beaten in any competition since February 2014.  In real terms over 50 matches unbeaten.  They were promoted from Yorks Div 4 to Yorks Div 3 in season 2014-2015 and they are  currently top of Yorks Div 3, looking to earn promotion to Yorks Div 2 within the next two or three weeks.  This match may even see…

Planning Ahead With Wills And Lasting Powers Of Attorney

Planning ahead is the key to making life for you and your loved ones as easy as possible; this should include thinking about making a Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney. Making a Will There are many reasons to make a Will, including: To avoid the intestacy rules (which provide for certain relatives to benefit when someone dies without a Will) - for example, to benefit an unmarried partner; To make sure your personal belongings go to the people you choose; To appoint guardians for minor children; To leave a gift to a charity; Inheritance tax planning.   Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) LPAs let you appoint people you know and trust to make decisions on your behalf and enables you to give guidance to those people on how decisions affecting you should…

The Importance Of Having A Power Of Attorney

Powers of attorney are useful if you need someone to make decisions on your behalf.  This may just be temporary (for example, to ensure that bills are paid if you were in hospital) or more long-term (for example, if you have been diagnosed with dementia). What is a Lasting Power of Attorney? A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) gives someone you trust the legal authority to make decisions for you.  There are two types of LPA, 'Property and Financial Affairs' and 'Health and Welfare', and you can create one or both.  The Property and Financial Affairs LPA allows your chosen attorneys to operate your finances, for example to mange your bank accounts and pay bills.  The attorney can act while they have mental capacity (if you consent) but also if you lose mental capacity. A…

Developments In Employment Law And Changes Expected In April 2018

There have been some significant cases in employment law recently, with further developments expected this year as several ongoing cases work their way through the appeals system.  There are also increases to pay rates and new rules on tax and national insurance contributions due to come into effect in April. Gillian Reid, employment law specialist at Ware & Kay Solicitors in York, Wetherby & Malton summarises some of the recent cases of note concerning the gig economy and entitlement to paid holiday and provides an overview of the expected April changes. Gig economy Cases affecting the rights of individuals working in the gig economy hit the headlines in 2017, as individuals described as self-employed sought to argue the right to be recognised as workers with entitlement to certain employment rights, including paid holiday. These cases…

How To Reduce Sickness Absence At Work

The average British worker takes 4.4 days' sickness absence every year and minor illnesses such as coughs and colds are often cited as the reason.  However, more days are lost on average to more serious complaints such as back, neck and muscle pain. High levels of sickness absence can lead to reduced production, low staff morale, increased costs and poor customer service.  For small employers in particular this can be very disruptive.  Gillian Reid employment law solicitor at Ware & Kay in York, Wetherby & Malton advises what steps you can take to reduce sickness absence within your organisation. Sickness absence policy You should have a sickness absence policy in place so that employees understand what is expected of them.  It should set out your arrangements for sick pay and for reporting and managing sickness…

What You Need To Know About Employing Foreign Nationals Or Helping A Foreign National To Set Up Business In The Uk

Many businesses rely on foreign nationals to fill skills shortages in the UK and to help get new ventures off the ground. However, recent measures aimed at reducing net migration may make this more complicated going forward.  For businesses reliant on foreign workers, the time has come to consider if the costs of recruiting outside of the UK outweigh the benefits. Gillian Reid, employment lawyer at Ware & Kay Solicitors in York, Wetherby & Malton looks at the rules on employing foreign nationals, obtaining a business visa and setting up a business in the UK.  She also looks at how to challenge decisions refusing foreign nationals entry to the UK or permission to remain. Employing foreign nationals You can employ many categories of non-UK nationals without special permission. These include those with indefinite leave to…

Making Your Wishes Clear In 2018

For many of us, the start of a New Year is an opportunity to remember the events of the previous year and to consider plans for the future. Whilst it probably wouldn't be the first thing you think of, it may also be a good time to think about making a Will for the first time or reviewing an existing Will. Some of the reasons you may want to think about your Will are: To avoid the intestacy rules (which provide for certain relatives to benefit when someone dies without a Will) - for example, to benefit an unmarried partner To make sure your personal belongings go to the people you choose To appoint guardians for minor children To leave a gift to a charity Inheritance tax planning   If you already have…