On 30 June 2014 the Children and Families Act 2014 will bring into force the right to request flexible working for all employees who have 26 weeks’ service. Previously the right to request flexible working could be made in order to ...
ACAS has this week published guidance for employers on how to handle TUPE transfers. Although it runs to 74 pages, it is helpful as a starting point with some useful examples. If you are not familiar with TUPE it refers to the Transfer ...
From 22 April 2014, residence and contact orders are being abolished and instead a single order is being introduced: a Child Arrangement Order. Child Arrangement Orders will regulate when and who a child is to spend time with. The ...
We always think that it will happen to someone else, but the truth is that we never know what is round the corner. Accidents can happen, or you or a loved one may suddenly be faced with battling a serious illness, and as the recent ...
Happy Easter from MacDonald Oates! This month not only brings with it some much needed Spring-like weather (and probably too much chocolate!) but also increases to rates such as Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). We have updated our quick ...
If you are feeling harassed or bullied at work it can have a significant impact on your well being, your family and friends and, in the worst cases, your long term health. For some, they simply resign putting it down to experience. For ...
Client service is at the heart of what we do and this is reflected in our Commitment to Client service. As the Firm continues to grow, we need to invest in our technology to ensure those client service levels can be maintained during ...
We are delighted to announce that MacDonald Oates has chosen The Bereavement Counselling Charity as Charity of the Year for 2014. The Bereavement Counselling Charity is a local charity that provides free and confidential bereavement ...
We are very pleased to announce that Patrick Jenkins, Litigation Partner at Macdonald Oates LLP Solicitors, has been accepted as an Associate Member of The Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS). The ...
25 – 29 November 2013 marks Resolution’s second Family Dispute Resolution Week. This annual event aims to raise awareness of alternatives to court. At MacDonald Oates, we recognise the importance of resolving family disputes in a ...
We are delighted to welcome two new members of our expanding team, Laura Morffew – who works alongside Karl Smith in the Residential Conveyancing department at Midhurst as Solicitor and Matthew Archer also a Solicitor. Matthew ...
Festive Bitesize Seminar: What not to do on Facebook! The Commercial Team at MacDonald Oates would like to invite you to join us for our free Festive Bitesize Seminar where we will provide you with an overview on: Social media ...
These are not topics that you would normally see in same sentence. However, changes to employment law which came into force on 1st October affect both Directors and those on the national minimum wage. The national minimum wage (NMW) ...
MacDonald Oates are proud to be taking part in the Hampshire 4 Business Show at the Old Thorns Hotel, Liphook on Thursday 17 October. We will have a stand on the day so please do come and say hello! Nominations for the East Hampshire ...
We are pleased that we receive excellent feedback for our seminars, and here are a few comments from those who have attended our events. “Excellent … brilliant venue, very friendly environment” “Very good seminar – ...
Renting properties carries a number of significant legislative requirements that landlords must make every effort to adhere to or risk potentially significant issues should they wish to recover possession of their property. They may ...
This summer, MacDonald Oates attended a Canine Partners Information Evening at their centre in Heyshott. The evening involved a presentation explaining the various aspects of Canine Partners. We were also treated to demonstrations by a ...
Settlement Agreements and Pre-termination negotiations Some employers may be familiar with Compromise Agreements, whereby the employee signs an Agreement in return for a sum of money and agrees not to make any further claims against ...
Promotions Announced at MacDonald Oates We are pleased to announce the appointment of three new Associates at MacDonald Oates. Karl Smith (Residential Property), who is based at our Midhurst Office and Rebecca Reid (Private Client) ...
Following a number of scandals in the 1980’s and 1990’s such as the Maxwell scandal and the Piper Alpha explosion, it was decided that protection was needed for those workers who previously were too scared to ‘blow the whistle’ on the ...
The abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) on 25 June 2013 means agricultural workers will be treated the same as other workers. The Agricultural Wages Board currently sets minimum wages and other terms for agricultural ...
The Disclosure and Barring Service (which replaced the Criminal Records Bureau and Independent Safeguarding Authority at the end of 2012) has launched its new Update Service available from 17th June 2013. Normally employers are ...