Sister Snog

Many workers have been affected by transport disruptions. Technically it is their responsibility to get up earlier and find an alternative route into work. In reality, many employers arrange home working which reduces stress and improves productivity.

If you don't have an established car sharing or lift sharing scheme, you should be careful you don't end up setting up liability for uninsured drivers. You should not be ordering or directing employees to get into a car with 'Fred' if you don't know that 'Fred' is insured. If the car is a fully insured company car that's different.

Hourly paid workers are not usually paid except for the hours they work, though salaried workers may be on a different basis. You should check your contracts to see if you do in fact pay people on an hourly basis, or some other way.

Annabel Kaye (Tanguera) is Managing Director of Irenicon Ltd, a specialist employment law consultancy.
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Feeling the pinch post-Xmas? Not me. I've just had a free Xmas. And that included a week in a cosy Cornwall cottage. And all the presents. And all the food and drink. And I could go on...well actually I will. Bet you're thinking well it wasn't really free was it. Strictly speaking you'd be right. I did pay for all those lovely things. However the money came from selling some old gold I'd had sitting at the bottom of my jewellery box for...oooooh too many years to mention.
 
Let's step back a moment to when Krista Waddell joined Sister Snog in August last year. She'd been introduced by Carol Webster who decided to hold a Pure Gold Party which she invited me to. It was all women apart from the lovely Romain who was our Gold Expert. He really knew his 9 carat from his 18 as his day job is with the classic jewellery house Chopard. While one of us was having our gold assessed (weighed, carated and priced) the rest of us were having our own little party with the drinks and nibbles that our hostess with the mostest had lovingly prepared. I was the last guest of the evening to have my gold assessed and gathered quite a crowd as the price of my stash was going through the roof. When it reached the £1000 mark everyone cheered! Especially me. I eventually went home with a cheque for over £1200. And all from gold I haven't worn for years.

So you see you can have a free Xmas. You just have to know how. By the way did I mention? Sister Snog's holding a Pure Gold Party on 19th January. So dig out your unwanted gold and bring it along. It might be too late for a free Xmas but just in time for January's credit card bill!