Buy-out policy meaning

This flowchart outlines the steps an employer should take once a performance or capability concern is identified, including collecting key documents such as the contract of employment and appraisal records, considering mediation, appointing who will carry out performance monitoring, arranging informal and then formal meetings, deciding on dismissal or another sanction, and overseeing the appeal stage. Click below to view or print the full-size PDF version: Note 1—identifying whether there is a performance issue If an employee’s output falls short of the required standard, the employer may choose to address it under its performance procedure. For an example procedure, see Precedent: Policy and procedure—performance and capability. A clear distinction should be drawn between misconduct and underperformance. Where conduct is the concern, a disciplinary process is the correct route—see Practice Note: Managing performance—Dealing with poor performance. Before commencing any formal action, review the terms of the employer’s performance procedure and check, for example, whether specific time periods are required between each stage...

How to use this Checklist Establishing a website can deliver substantial advantages for a business’s online presence. However, in the process a business may face infringing behaviour by competitors or others, including AI-enabled scraping of content. This Checklist sets out the main matters to weigh up when handling or acquiring website materials—such as programme code, text, graphics, images and multimedia. Pinpoint intellectual property rights (IPRs) and ownership; technical protection measures (TPMs); terms of use; special contractual terms; monitoring; copyright policy; data privacy; intellectual property notices; taking action against infringers; domain names. It does not address issues relating to website development, compliance or management, nor the use or upload of user-generated content. If dealing with website development or with website management and compliance, see: Practice Note: Website design and development Websites and the internet—issues to consider—flowchart Website terms and conditions—checklist, and Website development agreement—checklist The third...

How to use this Checklist This Checklist offers a structured approach to embedding AI governance within a professional services business. Robust AI oversight calls for a highly tailored method, aligned to the specific enterprise; it will vary by business type, risk tolerance, available resource, and the maturity of current governance arrangements. Nonetheless, this Checklist signposts the core considerations to support firms in adopting AI responsibly while safeguarding client trust, meeting regulatory obligations, and maintaining professional standards. Further reading Practice Note: Artificial intelligence and machine learning—an introduction to the technology Practice Note: The AI project lifecycle—a quick guide Precedent: Policy—use of generative artificial intelligence Practice Note: Negotiation guide—AI contracts Practice Note: Artificial intelligence—UK regulation and the National AI Strategy AI governance checklist—professional services Stage of implementation Key takeaways/further reading Define the scope: clearly set out what ‘AI’ covers for your governance framework (for example)...

Does the business maintain a due diligence policy that covers every party to a commercial relationship, including the company’s supply chain, agents, joint ventures, intermediaries, or any comparable or similar arrangement? Has this policy been rolled out and properly enforced in all of the markets in which the company trades and operates? See Precedent: Anti‑bribery and corruption policy The company must know who it is engaging with to carry out an effective risk assessment. It should use a due diligence information form that the contracting party completes and signs, so the due diligence information supplied can be reviewed and assessed by the company...

The primary provisions that govern the proper court for bringing an application under CPR 23 are set out and contained within CPR 23.2, CPR PD 23A, para 5.1, and CPR PD 2C, para 5.1–CPR PD 2C, para 5.3...

Antitrust Commission launches investigation into Google’s use of publisher and YouTube content for AI training The Commission has initiated a formal competition investigation to determine whether Google has infringed Article 102 TFEU by using web publishers’ material and content uploaded to YouTube for artificial intelligence (AI) purposes on unfair terms (AT.40983). Commission’s concerns The Commission is assessing whether Google has: used web publishers’ content to produce AI-driven features on Google Search, including AI Overviews (AI-generated summaries shown above organic results) and AI Mode (a chat-style search tab), without proper remuneration and without giving publishers a meaningful way to refuse such use without risking reduced access to Google Search, and/or used YouTube material, including videos and other uploads, to train its generative AI models without compensating creators and without providing an opt-out...

In this issue: Air emissions and climate change Contamination and pollution Energy efficiency and buildings Energy for environmental lawyers Environmental information Environmental taxes, reliefs and incentives ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Waste Water, flooding and drainage Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Air emissions and climate change Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGR)-UK government publishes Business Model documentation On 27 August 2025, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) released a suite of papers on its proposed Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGR) Business Model and accompanying policy. The Lexis+ Energy team, working with Navraj Singh Ghaleigh, Senior Lecturer in Climate Law at the University of Edinburgh Law School, set out the context for the GGR Business Model; its relationship with the Power BECCS Business Model; the technologies the GGR framework intends to encompass; its legal footing and principal features; and how...

In this issue: Air emissions and climate change Energy efficiency of products Energy for environmental lawyers ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Marine Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Waste Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Air emissions and climate change Defra opens consultation on industrial emissions permitting reforms The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has begun consulting on plans to modernise England’s environmental permitting regime for industrial emissions. The package aims to foster innovation, adopt agile standards, secure proportionate and coherent regulation, boost regulator effectiveness and efficiency, and deliver a transparent system. Suggested measures include a new registration route for low-risk installations, flexible site permits setting overall emissions caps, and faster approvals for time‑limited technology trials. The proposals reflect the Corry Review’s critique of regulatory inefficiency. The Environment Agency intends to roll out changes that could cut permit queues from months to days and lower...

For many years, virtually every disagreement about agricultural tenancies was sent to arbitration at the outset. The rationale was that questions concerning agricultural holdings often have a strong practical dimension, so arbitration was thought a more suitable forum than the courts. This reflected the earlier assumption that practical considerations predominated in such cases, making a court reference less apt back then. Over time, however, matters of considerable legal intricacy also came before arbitrators. With the enactment of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003 (AH(S)A 2003), policy shifted, and the main route for resolving disputes about agricultural tenant issues is now referral to the Scottish Land Court. At the same time, arbitration procedures were streamlined, and alternative processes, eg mediation, were enabled. Although the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991 (AH(S)A 1991) still sets out distinct mechanisms for dispute resolution, AH(S)A 2003 has substantially reshaped them, so that the arrangements for resolving disputes under 1991 Act Tenancies are, in large part, aligned with those for 2003 Act Tenancies...

This Resource Note spotlights commentary, analysis and materials to aid interpretation and give practical guidance on applying Chapters 1, 1A, 1B and 1C of the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules: DTR 1, DTR 1A, DTR 1B and DTR 1C respectively. Materials referenced here include, where pertinent: the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Handbook FCA Knowledge Base guidance—Procedural notes and Technical notes (constituting formal guidance and binding on the FCA) FCA consultation papers, discussion papers, policy statements, feedback statements and warnings Primary Market Bulletins and other FCA publications former UKLA technical and procedural notes and the UKLA newsletter List!, where still relevant to interpreting or applying a provision assimilated EU legislation EU Directives and EU Regulations, where relevant to interpreting a provision Lexis+ UK analysis and resources Setting the scene What it covers: DTR 1 sets out the Disclosure guidance, explaining its scope and purpose; DTR 1A sets out the transparency rules with their scope and purpose;...

This Practice Note provides an overview of the legal framework and practical context for whistleblowing under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996). It offers high-level guidance for organisations and supports the drafting of your whistleblowing policy and procedures. It is not a handbook for managing whistleblowing claims, which is an employment law issue. What is whistleblowing? Whistleblowing refers to a worker disclosing information about wrongdoing (ie making a disclosure), usually—though not always—arising in the workplace. For whistleblowing protections to apply, the worker must reasonably believe they are acting in the public interest and that the disclosure points to past, current, or likely future wrongdoing within one or more of these categories: criminal offences (eg fraud) failure to meet a legal obligation miscarriages of justice risks to someone’s health and safety damage to the environment from 6 April 2026, sexual harassment concealment of wrongdoing in these categories Whistleblowing legislation is contained in the ERA 1996, as...

1 Introduction 1.1 This policy explains how [ insert name of organisation ] (the Company) will handle the statutory entitlement that permits employees to take unpaid time away from work to organise or provide care for a dependant with a long-term care need, and sets out the steps you should follow if you need to request this leave. 1.2 [ This policy applies solely to employees. It does not extend to agency workers, consultants [ , contractors ] [ , volunteers ] [ , interns ] or casual workers. OR This policy applies to all employees, officers, agency workers, consultants [ , contractors ] [ , volunteers ] [ , interns ] and casual workers. ] 1.3 This policy has been [ agreed OR introduced following consultation ] with [ [ enter name of relevant trade union(s) ] OR [ enter name of works council ] OR [ enter name of staff association ] ]. 1.4 In some circumstances, you may have the right to take...

From: [ insert name of production company ] at [ insert address ] (the Producer) To: [ insert name ] at [ insert address ] (you) Date: [ date ] Dear [ insert name ] We write to record the agreement between you and the Producer for your services, which will be provided under the terms and conditions detailed below. In this letter, Personal Data refers to any details about a living person that enable identification, whether directly or indirectly, notably by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data or an online identifier, or to one or more elements specific to that individual’s physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity. 1 Engagement 1.1 The Producer retains you and, in consideration of the Producer’s undertakings set out in paragraph 3, you agree to supply the Producer with your services as a [ specify capacity ] (Services) in connection with [ insert name of production ] (the...

1 Introduction 1.1 Precise time capture enables the firm to gauge the real cost of the services we deliver and to supply clients with comprehensive billing details. 1.2 Logging your time swiftly and correctly supports you in meeting your personal performance targets. 1.3 FAQs accompany this policy and can be accessed [ state where, eg on our intranet ]. For any queries about time recording, please reach out to [ state who will deal with queries ]. 2 How is time recorded? 2.1 Time should be entered in [ 6-minute units ]. 2.2 [ State exactly how time is recorded in your firm, which will vary from firm to firm depending on whether you use a case-management system, free-standing time recording system or manual time sheets ]. 3 When should time be recorded?...

File reviews Conducting file reviews signals that an organisation takes quality and compliance seriously. Reviews and audits yield meaningful data and statistics and, if issues are uncovered, the audit findings can be channelled into your risk register or other planning so remedial measures are enacted. Ensuring the right levels of supervision are firmly in place is essential. A Supervision policy can be valuable, clearly setting out supervision arrangements, including the following: file audits/reviews governance and reporting lines work allocation oversight of work case progression supervising correspondence outsourcing arrangements...

It can be useful to review, in sequence, the following key points: the obligation in section 1 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996) to issue a written statement of employment particulars the terms of the contract of employment an employer’s Human Resource (HR)-related policies the use of electronic signatures Written statement of employment particulars Under ERA 1996, s 1(1), an employer must also provide a worker with a written statement setting out the specified particulars of employment identified in ERA 1996, s 1(3) and (4). For more detailed guidance on this duty, see Practice Note: Written statements of employment particulars. Where the particulars concern sick leave and pay, other paid leave, pension rights and training, the statement may instead direct the worker to another document that is reasonably accessible (ERA 1996, ss 1(4)(d)(ii)–(iii), 1(4)(l) and 2(2))...

What is pre-planning restrictive covenant insurance? Restrictive covenant insurance safeguards people holding an interest in land that is burdened or encumbered by a restrictive covenant. It generally also covers losses including: damages awarded against the insured expenses to modify or demolish a building or other structures to comply with a covenant abortive works costs legal costs This cover can be arranged before planning consent has been obtained for a development where the intended development site is burdened by restrictive covenants. That includes situations where planning permission has not yet been obtained. When is it appropriate to take out a pre-planning restrictive covenant insurance policy? Clearly, if a restrictive covenant looks likely to affect the proposed development, all efforts should be made to resolve matters at the earliest opportunity. Every effort should be made to iron out issues as early as possible...