Skip to main content
Practical employment law information to support your business, from Clover HR

Search

Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.

Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.

What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.

While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.

You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.

The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.

Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.

While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.

Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.

Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.

Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.

As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.

Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.

Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.

With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.

The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.

As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.

Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.

Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.

Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.

Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.

Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.

From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.

News

November 2015

Displaying 1 - 12 of 20
12 results shown

George Osborne's Autumn Statement has been broadly welcomed by businesses - as much for what he left out as for the measures he announced.

Most consumers acknowledge that data breaches are now "a part of life", but shoppers are warning UK businesses that they will go elsewhere if cyber security is not part of the customer service promise.

The number of "home workers" has doubled since 1998 thanks to the rise in the number of freelancers and new attitudes by employers to flexible and remote working.

A creative culture, collaboration and simple tools are the main drivers for innovation in the UK's fastest growing businesses according to new research.

Our round-up of other small business stories making the headlines this week...

Business groups are calling on George Osborne not to introduce any more new tax changes in his Autumn Statement next Wednesday.

More than half (54%) of all UK employers say the new National Living Wage will affect their wage bill; and the retail and hospitality sectors are set to be hit hardest according to new research.

The UK's tax authority, HMRC, is to be radically reorganised as part of its on-going modernisation programme.

​Successful entrepreneurs are more likely to learn from past failures, invest in technology, value time with their families and build strong relationships with mentors according to new research.

Our round-up of other small business stories making the headlines this week...

The Government has launched a new export programme with the aim of getting 100,000 additional companies exporting by 2020.

Analysis of payment practices amongst English councils has found that most local authorities continue to pay promptly, with 92% of suppliers being paid within 30 days. However, there is considerable variation between councils.