Summer 2009 Newsletter Content Pot and kettle No more stealth Pensions hit A place in the sun Ready or not... Nice motor Making allowances Good times, bad times Tax-free checkup Three square meals Funny question Dividend rules OK? Too good to be true? Pay my friend Early EIS Mind the halfpennies Just the ticket Flat rate changes Foreign Service This year, next year Partial exemption Penalties Compliance checks Under their eye Howzat? Know your rights Discipline Don't be mean Redundancy Two sorts of absence Warranties

Discipline There have been statutory rules for dismissal and disciplinary procedures since 1 October 2004. Employers ran the risk of being held to have unfairly dismissed someone - who then qualified for compensation - if they strayed an inch outside the law. The problems this caused have been recognised and a more flexible system was reintroduced on 6 April 2009. The new ACAS Code of Practice on discipline and grievance is more flexible, but it will still be important to be able to show that an employee is treated fairly. The guidelines suggest that disciplinary issues need to be addressed in six stages: fact-finding, informing the employee of the problem (including the possible consequences), holding a meeting, offering the employee the right to be accompanied, reaching a decision, and offering a right of appeal. All employers should consider whether they need to make changes to their standard procedures in the light of these changes.