It is often assumed that the tax-free compensation of up to £30,000 for ‘loss of office’, available under s403 (1) of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 (‘ITEPA’) is an automatic right; however the recent decision of the First Tier Tribunal in Simrajsar Ltd v HMRC [2024] has reminded us that this is not the case.
Whilst the joyful festivities of the ‘Christmas party season’ offer employees an opportunity to ‘let their hair down’, enjoy socialising and lift team morale; employers must navigate the yuletide period with caution, ensuring that ‘harmless banter’ does not encroach on inappropriate behaviour or worse, sexual harassment.
The results are in! Following 14 years of a Conservative government, the British public have voted for a change. In terms of what this change means for employment law, Labour promised to bring forward an employment bill of rights within its first 100 days of coming into power as part of its “New Deal for Working People”. As of today, that clock starts ticking.
