On July 17, 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada in Hydro-Québec v. Syndicat des employé-e-s de techniques professionnelles et de bureau d'Hydro-Québec, 2008 SCC 43 clarified that there are limits to the employer’s duty to accommodate ...
Driving is the most dangerous work activity that most people undertake. An average 20 people are killed and 250 seriously injured every week in crashes involving someone who was driving, riding or otherwise using the road for work purposes. Up to a third of road accidents involve someone who was driving at work. Health and safety law applies equally to on-the-road work activities, and the risks should be managed within an effective health and safety system ...
"Shouldn't you be at work?" - sports presenter Des Lynam's famous words during the BBC's World Cup 98 coverage may well be repeated by many an employer over the next week or so. For as the Beijing Olympics reach a crescendo, businesses are once again facing up to the challenges posed by a major sporting event. But there are ways to ensure that the 29th Olympiad does not add to the headaches being suffered by credit-crunched employers ...
The business world is in continuous evolution. In order to remain competitive, a professional must be aware of the developments that may affect or influence his or her practice. It is in this spirit that we have created “RATIO”, a quarterly legal information publication intended to support you in the achievement of your professional goals. The name of this publication is a term employed in both the legal and accounting professions ...
In this October edition of Pensions Bulletin we consider a recent Government paper on surplus payments and highlight that schemes must take action if they wish to preserve a power to pay surplus to a sponsoring employer in the future. We also comment on the impact of the latest developments in the Sea Containers case on the use of the Regulator's power to issue Financial Support Directions ...
The Court of Appeal (CA) judgment in Symbian Limited v Comptroller General of Patents (2008) EWCA Civ 1066 was issued on 8 October. This has upheld a High Court decision to overrule the UK Intellectual Property Office's (UK-IPO) rejection of a computer program on a conventional computer as non-patentable ...
On 3 April 2008, the Supreme Administrative Court announced a decision in a case which has given rise to strong reactions among tax law specialists. The criticism has been harsh and concerns the Supreme Administrative Court’s decision to give the Swedish CFC-rules precedence over the Swedish-Swiss tax treaty ...
Ahead of the autumn finance bill, the government has stated that SEK 30 billion will be designated for reforms in the labour market and enterprise, welfare and investments for the future. 13 of these 30 billion are earmarked for an “enterprise package” which, inter alia, includes a reduction in corporate tax from 28 percent to 26.3 percent ...
With the UK economy continuing to be buffeted by the storm of the global financial crisis the effects are starting to be felt nearer to home in the "real" economy. For many businesses slashing costs is now a priority and, sadly, that often includes making staff redundant ...
By decision rendered June 25, 2008, in K. B. & UAB Restoranu Grupe FORTAS v. AB Ragutis (Case No 3K-3-160/2008), the Supreme Court of Lithuania ruled that a component of a trademark that infringes an author’s copyright may not be disclaimed in the trademark registration.The plaintiffs, K. B. and UAB Restoranu Grupe FORTAS, sued one of the oldest breweries in Lithuania, AB Ragutis, for copyright infringement ...
The Government of the Republic of Indonesia ("GOI") understands that Indonesia is becoming part of the globalization of information. Consequently many new forms of legal actions which were not covered by current Indonesian laws and regulations now have to be regulated. On 21 April 2008, after being approved by the House of Representatives, the GOI enacted Law No 11 of 2008 regarding Information and Electronic Transactions ("Law No 11 of 2008") ...
The 2009 State Budget Bill was presented to Parliament on 15 October. The general discussion and voting on the Bill are scheduled for 5, 6 and 7 November while the special discussion and voting and final overall discussion and voting are scheduled for the 27th and 28th of the same month ...
Solicitor and commercial specialist Ross Woodham takes a technical and commercial look at Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), as it grows in popularity. VoIP has existed since the early 1980’s, but was only given serious commercial attention in the late 1990’s, since when the use of VoIP-based technology has grown steadily ...
As reported in our September WortHReading, if you want to employ workers from outside the Economic European Area or Switzerland ("migrants") after 27 November don't forget that the new points-based immigration system will be up and running and you will need to become a licensed sponsor to do so. An employer without a sponsorship licence, but which employs migrants, will be acting illegally ...
In Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police v Homer, Mr Homer argued that he could not obtain a degree in time to benefit from it financially before he retired aged 65, but younger employees would be able to and the policy was therefore indirectly discriminatory on the grounds of age ...
Contents Acquisition of control of a corporation… Unexpected tax consequences The corporate veil again! Resigning as a director: It’s not merely a formality! Don’t forget the deemed year-end! Acquisition of control of a corporation… Unexpected tax consequences By Philippe Asselin passelin@lavery.qc ...
Many employers are rightly concerned about the significant amounts they are required to pay to the Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail in respect of employment injuries sustained by their employees. The general rule underlying the financial system of the regime is that the cost of benefits paid following an industrial accident sustained by an employee is imputed to his employer’s account, irrespective of whether the employer is at fault ...
The various amendments recently made to the Act respecting labour standards(1) (hereinafter the “ARLS”) essentially apply to the following:• the introduction of a new type of authorized leave for employees who are also reservists of the Canadian Forces and take part in operations;• the clarification of the concept of spousal cohabitation especially with regard to leave for family or parental reasons;• details on the advance notice to be given by employees who want to take pat
Pat McFadden, the Minister for Employment Relations and Postal Affairs, has confirmed that the extension of the right to request flexible working to parents of children up to the age of 16 will be implemented in April 2009, as planned ...
Anybody who has ordered their Christmas shopping online or installed software will have encountered so-called 'clickwrap' agreements. With clickwrap, before being able to complete the order or install the software, you must indicate acceptance of the service provider's terms and conditions – with a simple click on the I agree button – before being able to proceed. This is the stark choice of “take it or leave it” for the digital age ...
What Happened Last week, the chairman of Satyam Computer Services Ltd., India's fourth largest information technology company, admitted to a stunning fraud. Fraudulent entries in the company's financial statements totaled in excess of US$ 1 billion, as compared to the actual financial state of the company. In response to the fraud, DSP Merrill Lynch Ltd., a local affiliate of Bank of America Corp ...
The new Income Tax Law is Law No. 36 of 2008. It intends to boost the competitiveness of Indonesia's economy and create a favorable investment climate. Under the new law, income tax for corporations will be 28% flat in 2009, replacing the existing progressive system. The rate will be further reduced to 25% in 2010 ...
The Act to protect persons with regard to activities involving firearms and amending the Act respecting safety in sports(1) was assented to on December 13, 2007(2) and came into force on September 1, 2008. This Act was passed in the wake of the tragic events that occurred at Dawson College in September 2006, when a young 18-year old woman named Anastasia De Sousa lost her life in a shooting incident, hence its name, the “Anastasia Act” ...
On June 2, 2008, following the hearing of six cases (1) at the same time, the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled that section 114 of the Labour Code grants exclusive jurisdiction to the Commission des relations du travail to hear complaints made under section 124 of the Act respecting Labour Standards ...
