Uniquely Stortford - Roaring Success

Following on from Sunday's Uniquely Stortford event visitors to the Nockolds Stand raised £85 for Isabel Hospice through donations for mince pies and non alcoholic mulled wine. Despite the chill in the air there was a great atmosphere around the town with people exploring the whole town and all that it has to offer.

We would like to thank Dorrington's for their kind donation of 200 mince pies to support the hospice.

Natalie Morris (profile) Pete Dodd (profile) Monday 5th December 2011
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Uniquely Stortford

Nockolds is pleased to be sponsoring the Uniquely Stortford event being held on Sunday 4 December.

Uniquely Stortford aims to highlight everything that is special about Bishop’s Stortford and to promote the independent retailers in the town. We are proud to be helping to keep Stortford unique.

Many of the independent retailers in the town will be open this Sunday and will be offering a wide variety of offers and discounts to shoppers as well as giving away plenty of Christmas treats. There will also be local choirs performing around the town, wine tasting, face painting and a talent show for pets!

Nockolds will be open for mince pies and mulled wine on Sunday and we will be one of the stops on the Uniquely Stortford treasure hunt trail.

uniquelystortford.com

Janette Wand (profile) Natalie Morris (profile) Friday 2nd December 2011
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Time off work to care for dependents.

If an employer refuses a holiday request and the employee takes time off without permission then disciplinary action can be taken against the employee. If the employee takes sick leave having had the holiday request denied then the employer may require a medical certificate to be provided to confirm that the employee was genuinely sick.

However all is not entirely lost as employees who are parents with children have the right to take a ‘reasonable amount’ of time off during their working hours in order to take ‘action which is necessary’ because of the ‘unexpected disruption……of arrangements for the care of a dependent’. In these circumstances the employer can only refuse 

1) where it is not necessary for the employee to take time off and

2) where the amount of time off work requested by the employee is unreasonable.

When considering the issue of whether or not ‘it is necessary to take the time off’ an Employment Tribunal would consider the nature of the request, ie school closure, the relationship between the employee and the child that is to be cared for and the extent to which anyone else can provide assistance, for example another relative or friend.

Another consideration for the Employment Tribunal is whether or not knowing a school is to be closed in a week’s time would be classed as ‘unexpected or sudden’. In a recent case a mother was given 2 weeks’ notice of the unavailability of her child-minder. Unable to find alternative arrangements she stayed off work and was subsequently disciplined by her employer. The Employment Appeal Tribunal found in her favour confirming that her circumstances were sufficiently ‘unexpected’.

Each case should be treated individually and whether or not a particular employee would be protected by Employment Legislation is dependent on the specific circumstances. If you would like any further advice on this or any employment issue contact Bev Moseley on b.moseley@nockolds.co.uk or 01279 712501

Bev Moseley (profile) Monday 28th November 2011
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Pete Dodd joins Dave Monk on BBC Radio Essex

A hearing on 14 November 2011 sees the first sentencing in an Essex Court for the new offence of aiding and abetting a careless driver and driving without insurance, where another road user was killed in the incident. Pete Dodd, Partner at Nockolds LLP Solicitors is joining in the debate on BBC Radio Essex to discuss what this means for those who may not actually by driving, but may contribute in some way to the death of soemone in a car accident. Nockolds LLP road traffic team will publish a briefing on the implications of this shortly, please email newsteam@nockolds.co.uk for your copy of this important practical guide or visit keepyourlicence.net for more information on road traffic and motoring law.

Pete Dodd (profile) Monday 14th November 2011
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Changes to the law on cohabitation

Yesterday, the Supreme Court gave a landmark ruling in the case of Jones v Kernott, which deals with how jointly owned property should be divided when non married couples seperate. Mr Kernott claimed a share in the property 13 years after seperating, and the Supreme Court has ultimately decided that looking at the couples intentions when they seperated, he should receive only 10% of the value of the property, not 50% he was seeking. The media interest in this case has been intense as the potential impact is so significant on those who live together for 6 months or 60 years. Lynn Cowley of Nockolds LLP Solicitors is joining in the debate on BBC Radio Essex to explain cohabitation law as it stands today and how this ruling will impact on how future cases are handled.  Nockolds LLP Family law experts will publish a briefing on the implications of this shortly, please email newsteam@nockolds.co.uk for your copy of this important practical guide.  

Lynn Cowley (profile) Thursday 10th November 2011
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