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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.

Also in the news this week - 5 February 2016

5 February 2016

MP highlights the gender pricing gap

Labour MP Paula Sherriff has raised the issue of gender pricing after studies show that many consumer products - from deodorants to clothing - cost significantly more for women than men. The average difference in price, according to research by The Times, is 37%. Maria Miller, chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, has described the findings as "unacceptable". Miller said: "Retailers have got to explain why they do this. At a time when we should be moving towards a more de-gendered society, retailers are out of step with public opinion."

The happiest cities to work in

A new survey of workers by business psychology experts OPP has identified the top ten cities for workplace happiness. Norwich tops the list, followed by Liverpool, Birmingham, Brighton, Plymouth, Sheffield, Nottingham, Manchester, Southampton and Bristol. The research found that 71% of workers are satisfied in their current job and more than a third are more satisfied than they were a year ago.

Business rate revaluations

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is in the process of updating the rateable values of all business properties. This is known as revaluation. Businesses can register with their email details and they will be notified when the draft rateable values are available to view in October 2016. Rateable values are used by local councils to calculate business rates; business rates bills will be calculated using the new rateable values from 1 April 2017. Businesses should tell the VOA if the information it holds about their property is incorrect to avoid paying too much for their business rates.

Black graduates earn less than white peers, finds TUC

Workers with degrees who identify as black, African, Caribbean, or black British earn 23% less than their white counterparts on average, according to analysis from the TUC. However, "unqualified" workers earn "virtually" the same amount irrespective of their ethnicity. The racial pay gap widens as people attain higher levels of education, with black graduates earning £4.33 an hour less than a white employee with a degree.

Entrepreneur learning is on the rise

The number of Britons enrolling in online entrepreneur courses has increased by 200%, according to research from learning and teaching marketplace Udemy. Its research has found that more than 40,000 people enrolled in entrepreneur courses in 2015 - a three-fold increase on 2014 - making it the fastest growing UK course of the marketplace's 133 categories. Home business courses have also seen a 167% annual increase in 2015, with entrepreneurship now the fifth most popular type of course in the UK after web development, programming languages, mobile apps and design tools.

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