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The Public Interest Research Unit (PIRU) claims that since 2010 employment law protections especially for the disabled have digressed dramatically, especially since the Governments disseverment of so called ‘red tape’ employment law protections. Continue reading “Is Disability Discrimination Protection at an all-time low?”
Category: Uncategorized
Social media spying – a step too far?
Social media has come under fire in recent days after the revelation that the perpetrators of the murder of soldier Lee Rigby could have been prevented from carrying out their atrocious crime, merely if their social media activity had been more closely monitored.
Good news for home-buyers at last! Stamp Duty Fee’s reform
Click here to see the infographic in full size
Home buyers will be pleased to hear that there is good news for them at last (apart from having wonderful solicitors). Stamp duty will now be banded in the same way as other taxes, so you will now not be moving into a higher percentage rate just because you pay £1 more for your property!
Continue reading “Good news for home-buyers at last! Stamp Duty Fee’s reform”
Expression of opinion vs defamation – bad TripAdvisor reviews
[vc_row type=”in_container” bg_position=”left top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Tony and Jan Jenkinson were fined £100 by the Broadway Hotel in Blackpool for a leaving a negative TripAdvisor review about it, where they described the hotel as a ‘rotten, stinking hovel’.
The hotel introduced a policy of charging people who left bad reviews with the hope of preventing customers from ‘defaming’ the business. After seeing the bad review, the hotel charged £100 to the couple’s credit card. Continue reading “Expression of opinion vs defamation – bad TripAdvisor reviews”
How does Social Media stand up in Court?
Social media is a huge part of people’s day to day activities, with Facebook currently seeing 1.37 billion monthly users. Facebook posts and Tweets that were made months, or even years ago are being documented and brought back as evidence in the courtroom. However, has social media been widely accepted by judges and the law as a legitimate form of evidence? There are certain aspects required to ensure that social media is acknowledged in the courtroom.
A 2010 case in the USA proved that social media has the capability to be used as evidence in court, and in this case it backed up claims that were being made by the claimant. An 18 year old woman was convicted of vehicular manslaughter and to back up their claims that she ‘abused the use of alcohol’, the State used her Myspace posts to show that she ‘glamourized’ alcohol abuse through her written posts and pictures. The evidence provided through her Myspace pages led to her receiving an enhanced sentence.
Another recent example of social media use in the courts, was when a young girl on probation was photographed drinking in a bar, despite this going against the rules of her probation. The photo was then used as evidence at a probation violation hearing, showing once again the power of social media.
These are just a few of the many cases where social media has been used to provide evidence in the court, however certain guidelines should be followed in order to give the evidence the best chance of standing, here are a few:
Date and time stamps
Social media posts can VERY easily be deleted. For this reason, if individuals plan to use social media as a form of evidence for use with their case, they should always ensure that there is a clear date and time stamp. This will help to back up that the posts and account is theirs, and that they were the original proprietors of the information they shared on the account.
Verify that they own the account
Another key step is to verify that the individual is the owner of the account. Without this, there can always be a doubt as to whether it was the person who wrote the tweet or posted a Facebook status. After all, anyone can make an online profile under any name they like, and start posting pretending to be someone they aren’t. It is essential that the user is verified to be them, and that the account is secure.
Screenshots
Due to the ease of deleting posts from social media, screenshots should always be made and stored securely. This ensures that the evidence always remains, and it can’t just be wiped.
As time passes, social media is being accepted more frequently as legitimate evidence in court. Users should always be aware of what they are sharing online, as comments made several years ago can be brought back.
Joel Chapman, Online Marketing
What to do when the air conditioning stops at work?
British summers often leave much to be desired, however recent warm temperatures have encouraged us to venture out in our summer gear, ready to sunbathe and enjoy some ice cream. While spending time in the warm climes is something we all wish we could do more of in our spare time, it’s certainly one thing we do not need when we are stuck working indoors.
Many modern office buildings have air conditioning systems to keep employees cool; however some older buildings may not have this luxury.
Employees have certain rights when it comes to temperatures in their workplace. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 state that the temperature in the workplace should be ‘reasonable’ without actually specifying a temperature. However, the Health and Safety Executive recommend temperatures in the workplace should be between 13 and 30 degrees Celsius, depending on the level of physical activity involved in the work.
If the air conditioning at your work isn’t working or you’re feeling too warm, you may be able to ask your employers to undertake what is known as a “thermal risk assessment” to assess whether the temperature is acceptable or not.
The Health and Safety Executive has given guidance on how to assess ‘thermal comfort’. If more than 10% of employees complain about the heat in an office where there is air conditioning, their employer should make a thermal comfort risk assessment. If the office has no air conditioning but is naturally ventilated through the use of windows then more than 15% of employees would need to complain in order for a thermal comfort risk assessment to be made.
The rules are slightly different for factories and warehouses however, where the lack of air conditioning would have to lead to more than 20% of employees complaining before the employer makes a thermal comfort risk assessment.
If you need any advice on employment law, give us a call on 01753 486 777 and we can assist you with any queries you may have.
Amarjit Atwal, Paralegal
Employment Tribunal Claims Drop by More than 50% after Tribunal Fee Introduction
The number of employment claims being accepted by the Employment Tribunal Service between July and August of 2013 dropped by over 50%, according to Hugh James Solicitors.
The sharp drop in the number of claims being accepted is thought to be a result of the recent introduction of tribunal fees earlier in the year; which introduced a minimum fee of £250 to lodge a claim and £950 for a hearing.
According to Hugh James Solicitors the number of claims accepted by the Employment Tribunal Service fell from 17,153 in July to 7,448 in August, highlighting a dramatic drop in the number of claims being accepted and filled.
If you require further information about the recent changes made to the employment tribunal process please contact our specialist employment solicitors on 01753 486 777 or email Dion McCarthy.
Ashton Hudson, Online Marketing Executive
Our Solicitors in Slough can be contacted by calling 01753 486 777 or emailing info@astonbond.co.uk. Alternatively, you can visit our offices at 135 High Street, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 1DN.
Number of Students on LPCs Drops by Over 8%
The number of students enrolled on full-tine legal practice courses has dropped by over 8% this year, highlighting a significant drop in the number of training contracts on offer to students.
In a recent article published by The Law Society Gazette it was revealed that only 5,198 students enrolled with the 27 LPC providers for 2013 and 2014; seeing a decline of 475 from the previous year.
Furthermore, according to The Law Society Gazette courses are only 44% full on average, highlighting the 37.5% decline in LPC student applications since 2008 and 2009.
While fewer training contracts are being provided Aston Bond is proud to lead the way in introducing the next-generation to the legal sector and we are currently accepting applications for a trainee solicitor and conveyancing assistant.
To read The Law Society Gazette’s original publication click here. Alternatively, you can take a look at our current career opportunities by clicking here.
Ashton Hudson, Online Marketing Executive
Our Solicitors in Slough can be contacted by calling 01753 486 777 or emailing info@astonbond.co.uk. Alternatively, you can visit our offices at 135 High Street, Slough, Berkshire, SL1 1DN.
Aston Bond Raises Money For CRY UK
Cardiac illnesses in the young is a growing concern among medical specialist around the world and here in the UK the Cardiac Risk in the Young charity are working day and night to prevent such tragic illnesses and also support individuals and their families after such a life changing tragedy takes place. CRY UK work to reduce the chances of a un-diagnosed heart condition in the young changing their lives forever. This past week the team of Aston Bond solicitors came together to raise money towards this great service CRY offer to thousands of children around the UK.
The Aston Bond team came together to raise money for CRY UK in Slough’s town centre in-which we raised over £1,300 through online and offline donations. 100% of our collected donations went directly to the CRY UK charity to support the charity throughout the next year to save and protect thousands of young lives.
Not only did we raise a great amount for a great charity but we also had a great day with the general public. Our home made cake selection were a success with the younger audience throughout the day and our very own Bondman attracted attention from the walkers by.
Our team of solicitors left their ties back at the office to hand out both balloons and cakes to the local community of shoppers. Aston Bond partner Stephen Puri could be found alongside our cake stand all day along with entire team from Aston Bond.
In all, the day was a huge success and we plan further events in the near and far future here at Aston Bond. With our total funding of over £1,300 the day was nothing but a success; and we would like to say thank you to all our supporters throughout the day. For information on future events head over to our dedicated events page!
Ashton Hudson, Online Marketing Executive