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Resolving employee disputes -
A new guidance leaflet from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) outlines the procedures you need to know about if you have a dispute with an employee.

Resolving disputes with your employees in a timely manner can save your business time, money and stress. The leaflet focuses on resolving disputes before they escalate to employment tribunals. It explains how to use alternative dispute resolution mechanisms like mediation and pre-claim conciliation.

The leaflet describes in simple terms the key elements of the Employment Act 2008 and the ACAS Code of Practice and Guidance. It also has a list of organisations that employers can turn to for advice.

Download Avoiding and Resolving Discipline and Grievance Issues at Work (PDF, 149k)

November networking event with Subway -
Portobello Business Centre are holding another of their popular networking events at the Westminster Reference Library on Tuesday November 17th. Hakim Mawhoub, Business Development Manager at the Subway chain of sandwich shops, is the keynote speaker.

He?ll be talking about how Subway has become the fastest growing franchise business in the UK with over 200 branches in London alone.

A buffet is available after the talk and participants will get the opportunity to meet and network with others who are setting up or running small businesses.

This event is free but booking is essential. To reserve your place call the Library direct on 020 7641 5250.

When: 6.30pm, Tuesday 17th November
Where: Westminster Reference Library, 35 St. Martin's Street, London WC2H 7HP (just off Leicester Square).

New Business Rate Valuations -
Your business will be receiving property valuation details from the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) over the coming weeks. You should check that the details in the letter are correct as they will be used to calculate your business rates for 2010. This is especially important as all businesses are being revalued to set their business rates for the next five years.

Rateable values are based on market rents on 1st April 2008 and councils use the VOA?s assessment to calculate business rates. To assess the rateable value, factors such as the size of the premises and how they are used are taken into account.

If you think your rateable valuable has been wrongly calculated, you can appeal to the VOA. You can now do this at the VOA website where you can also amend your property details, find your property valuation and compare your valuation to others.

Rateable values can be effected by changes of nearby property use, general trading conditions or prolonged roadworks outside a property.

If you don?t receive a letter from the VOA, call them on 0845 602 1507.

VOA website

Van scrappage scheme extended for businesses -
If you use a van (or vans) for your business, there?s some good news. The scrappage scheme is being extended until the end of February and it will now apply to vehicles that are eight years old rather than ten as previously.

Under the scheme, dealers will accept your old commercial vehicle (not exceeding 3.5 tonnes), and you?ll get a discount of ?2,000 on your new van. The government has put extra funds into the scheme which will now run until February 28th or until the money runs out, whichever is the sooner.

To qualify, your commercial vehicle must have been registered on or before August 21st 2001.

More details about the scrappage scheme

Click Here
     


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