ABC Money

Housing Market Review

Property

ABC Staff

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29 June 2018

The housing market had a difficult start to the year, with the first quarter showing price declines across the UK of 0.7% according to data from Halifax the UK’s largest mortgage lender. This is not surprising since data from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed that new buyer enquiries fell again in March, continuing a trend that has been going on for 11 straight months now.

The disappointing first-quarter performance comes despite Chancellor Philip Hammond’s best efforts to breathe new life into the housing market by slashing stamp duty to zero for first-time buyers on homes that cost less than £300,000 and reducing rates for those that cost up to £500,000.

Not all regions suffer declines

Not all regions suffered declines however, and there was some regional divergence across the UK with parts of Wales, Northern Ireland, the North West and the Midlands all seeing property prices increase. It was London and the South East that took the brunt of the pain with property prices in parts of East Anglia and the North East also seeing prices fall as the effects of the Bank of England’s November interest rate rise start to take hold.

Affordability is the deciding factor here, and areas where house prices are more affordable, such as parts of Wales and the North West are seeing the market hold up pretty well, while areas such as the South East, where house price earnings are stretched, are seeing weakness across the board.

£1m-plus homes toughest to sell

Price also plays a factor. Homes priced above £1 million remained the most difficult to sell in the first half of the year. Agents surveyed by the RICS said that 67% of homes priced in this bracket achieved a sale price less than the asking price, with the figure falling to 56% for homes priced in the £500,000 to £1 million bracket.

The problem is more acute in homes that cost more than £2 million, with agents reporting that asking prices have been reduced by an average of £260,000 for homes in the £2 million-plus bracket. This is partly due to stamp duty changes which increased to 12% for properties costing more than £1.5 million for a first home and 15% for a second home.

New builds provide a welcome respite

It wasn’t all doom and gloom, however. The number of new homes registered to be built during the 2017/18 financial year reached 154,698, the second highest number in more than a decade. The number is a slight decrease on the 157,805 new starts registered during 2016/17, but the decline is largely down to adverse weather conditions which struck most of the UK during the early part of 2018.

The increase in new housing developments will be welcomed by the government which has ambitious plans to build 300,000 new homes across the country by 2021. Government initiatives to stimulate new builds include simplifying the planning process, the creation of a £3 billion home building fund and an extra £1.4 billion for affordable housing. These initiatives alone should help keep the new build market buoyant for the foreseeable future.

Outlook going forward

While the start of the year was challenging, the performance of the market stabilised during the second quarter with Halifax reporting that house prices were up by around 0.2% across the UK. But once again there were regional variations with parts of London and the South East still seeing prices fall due to weak demand.

New buyer enquiries also stabilised during the three months to June, with data from RICS showing that the number of new buyer enquiries in April remained steady, arresting four straight months of decline. This is a sure sign that the worst is over and prices should start to strengthen going forward.

With employment at record levels and real earnings starting to rise, there is reason to believe that the second half of the year will provide more sustainable growth. The Bank of England has also promised to keep interest rates low, despite the recent rise, which should see mortgages remain at manageable levels giving buyers the confidence to go out and buy.

Why it’s easier than ever to eat well on a tight budget

Finance

ABC Staff

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29 June 2018

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Why it’s easier than ever to eat well on a tight budget

We are constantly inundated with warnings about the importance of eating healthily, and rightly so. As well as reducing our risk of chronic diseases and helping us control our weight, eating the right foods also improves our mental wellbeing.

Yet despite these facts, over three quarters of young people are put off by the perceived cost of eating healthily, according to a study by insurers Aviva. The common perception is that people who eat healthily (or follow plant-based diets) have an expensive lifestyle, which worryingly discourages many from adopting a healthy diet themselves. Despite the figures, this view is somewhat unfounded. It’s actually easier than ever to consume healthier food without breaking the bank. Here is why eating well on a budget keeps getting easier.

There are more budget healthy options than ever

The last decade has been characterised by the rise of budget supermarkets, and discount stores such as Aldi and Lidl now have a larger market share than Waitrose. It’s therefore easier than ever to buy reasonably-priced food. Those unwilling to do their food shopping at these stores have no excuse though, particularly if they are looking for healthy ingredients, as nearly every supermarket has own-brand budget products that are substantially cheaper than branded alternatives.

The food retail landscape has changed considerably in recent years, and it’s not just supermarkets that are offering real value on healthy food. A marked rise in the number of independent retailers across the country is giving consumers even more choice. The OFM Awards 2017 for Best Independent Retailer featured stores from all corners of the country, so there is almost definitely somewhere near most people, and many sell their produce online anyway. Look at the winner of the award for a shining example. Rafi’s Spicebox was launched in 1989 and specialises in selling Indian food boxes consumers can order to their front door. Substantially cheaper and healthier than most Indian takeaways, this type of retailer shows just how much choice consumers have.

The diversification of the food scene has led to some truly unique and innovative companies. Take the Aylesbury-based startup Huel, who sell nutritionally-complete powdered food. Making £14 million a year, the company have seen stunning success since their launch in 2014. Huel produce a product perfect for those who need a healthy meal on the go. All you need to do is add water to their powder. Those who eat Huel get the best of both worlds, with meals all-in-all working out at just £1.33 each.

There is more guidance than ever before

The internet is now flooded with publications outlining ways you can eat healthily and affordably. Thrifty Lesley, for example, specialises in £1 meals, like Beef Ragu, Green Tomato Curry and Salted Cashew Couscous. As well as providing recipes, the site gives great money-saving culinary advice. This includes what you can do with leftovers and 7-day meal plans. The site is frequently listed as one of the best budget eating blogs to follow and deservedly boasts a huge online following.

Frugal Feeding is another healthy eating blog that has gained mass support. Launched by Nick Livermore whilst he was at university, Frugal Feeding is “a food blog about eating good, well-sourced food as economically as possible.” The blog has outlined an array of healthy but low-cost recipes, such as One-Pot Mushroom Stew, Brown Butter Cod and Chickpea Fritters, and Garlic Prawns with Chilli. With recipes indexed into different categories, like World Cuisine, Broths, and Italian, the blog is easy to navigate, and it is no surprise the site is so popular.

Considering there are more healthy budget food options and greater help to eat healthily and cheaply, it is easier than ever to eat well on a shoestring. Nobody should be put off trying a healthy diet for financial reasons.

How the stores of the future could dethrone online shopping

Elliot

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28 June 2018

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How the stores of the future could dethrone online shopping

When is the last time you had a truly enjoyable online shopping experience? Sure, you may look forward to the eventual arrival of whatever it is you purchased, but did you really enjoy the act of shopping itself? At its core, this is why the retail stores of the future have every chance of making a comeback.

UK high street footfall is falling year-on-year as online shopping continues to thrive. But while e-commerce appears to have reached its zenith with same-day delivery, offline retail has countless new avenues to explore.

RFID technology is making stores more interactive

The key advantage the offline world has on e-commerce is the potential for interactivity. So it makes sense that the stores of the future will run with this to get customers to leave their houses and head back to the high street.

One of the most revolutionary ways futuristic stores are embracing interactivity is through getting creative with RFID tags. As Retail Asset Solutions, formerly OCS Retail Support, explain, have been used in the past to alert store security to shoplifting. These are the tags that trigger alarms when you leave a shop if the cashier forgets to remove them (or if you are in fact stealing).

But many brands have been tapping into RFID’s hidden potential to up the interactive quotient of their in-store experience. Mastercard, for example, has developed a new “smart mirror”, which it plans to roll out to clothing retailers. The touchscreen mirrors will read information encoded in garments’ RFID tags to recognise each item and add them to a virtual basket, allowing customers to buy them from the comfort of the changing rooms.

RFID can also create interactive store displays, allowing appealing images or bespoke bargains to follow shoppers as they move around stores. This can be achieved in a similar way to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home’s ‘#LookingForYou’ campaign, which had pets follow those who had picked up brochures through billboards placed around a shopping centre.

Mobile PoS are cutting down on queues

With same-day delivery becoming more and more widespread, online retail is encroaching on two of the high street’s historic advantages: speed and convenience. While you may have more choice online, and it doesn’t involve travelling to the nearest shops, the high street has historically been the only place you can get what you need as soon as physically possible.

Now that is not the case, high street shops are doing everything they can to claw back the advantage. One method is through mobile points of service (PoS in industry speak). By giving floor staff card readers, shops can enable customers to make purchases wherever they are, without having to queue up at all. Apple stores have pioneered this, with many completely eschewing traditional cashier points. But some stores have taken it even further. None other than Amazon, an online retailer, has launched a chain of stores that have no PoS—mobile or stationary. Shoppers can walk out of Amazon Go stores with a bag full of items without having to stop to pay. Using a secretive technological system (which may well involve RFID), the payment will be taken from the customer’s Amazon account automatically.

Click and collect could unite on- and offline shopping

Though high streets may be suffering, there’s one area of offline retail that is still performing relatively well: retail parks. Retail parks’ resilience is largely thought to be down to ‘click and collect’ schemes, which allow shoppers to reserve products online to pick up later that day. The stores of the future are unlikely to ignore e-commerce entirely.

It’s more likely that a hybrid approach that embraces click and collect services will be the best method of competing with e-commerce heavyweights like Amazon. These online giants themselves seem to think so, as Amazon’s previously mentioned offline stores make clear.

With all of these innovations, it’s clear the stores of the future have a fighting chance to dethrone online shopping. There’s more good news for these stores, too. Even though e-commerce is on the rise, it’s not predicted to overtake offline commerce until 2024. That gives the high street several years to regain lost ground.

There’s no way a platform would publish this link, it’s a 404 error. At the moment, we can only link to the “coming soon” homepage.

Here I’d just use Retail Asset Solutions as a branded link, but keep the rest the same – who’s to say we didn’t contact them to discuss RFID tags.

Great idea.

How Companies Decide to Price their Products

Elliot

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28 June 2018

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How Companies Decide to Price their Products

Pricing is one of the most important factors of marketing that appears to be easily understandable, but is more than likely one of the hardest things to understand. Most people think it is easy because we use prices every single day of our lives whenever we purchase a product or service, and they probably think that in order to make a profit, all you need to do is sell a product for more than it costs. The real way to create an effective pricing strategy is by maintaining a brand image of a product that is almost impossible to copy.

What the market will bear

If you happen to be in a market where there is close to no competition, companies are able to implement a pricing strategy that raises their profits. Many people choose to call this the What The Market Will Bear Price. This means that the price is set to withhold the maximum amount that consumers will pay for the product without getting to the point where people stop buying it. The company, obviously, wants to earn as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time, this is a given, similar to people who choose to invest in stock and shares or funds, they will need to do their fund research, but they will want to make sure that they are earning as much as they possibly can in the smallest amount of time possible.

Although, it doesn’t want to make its profits to be so good that other companies want a slice of the action and decide to entice cutthroat competition to enter the market and try to establish a leadership position. This strategy is statistically quite likely to work as the innovators and early adopters that buy these items are not likely to be price sensitive. If your product is unique, use a WTMWB strategy, if not, consider the effective pricing strategies.

Know Your Customer

It is imperative that you do some market research as it is important to get to know your customer base. Research can take the form of informal surveys of your existing customers sent out via e-mail or more expensive research done by third party consulting firms. Market research firms can explore you market and segment your possible consumers granularly. If you don’t have the budget to pay for market research firms, you may just look at a few distinct groups then figure out which segment you’re targeting and price accordingly.

Know Where the Market Is Headed

Obviously you are not a fortune-teller, but you are able to discover outside factors that will influence the demand for your product or service in the near future. These issues can span from something as simple as long-term weather patterns to laws that could impact future sales of your products. You can use tools such as retail price tracker to make sure your prices are where they should be. Also remember take into account your competitors and their activities. Will a competitor respond to your introduction of a new product on the market by engaging your business in a price war?

If you end up asking people to pay way too much for your product or service, they will stop buying; ask for too small an amount for your product or service and your profit margin weakens or customers assume your product is poor quality. An optimum price factors in all your costs and maximises your margins while remaining attractive to customers.

Buying a second home in the US: Which state is the best?

Property

ABC Staff

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26 June 2018

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Buying a second home in the US: Which state is the best?

The beautiful States in the US

America is a splendid country with diverse landscape, culture, people, and lifestyles. There is something for everyone. A lot of folks feel attracted to urban life while others prefer the quiet existence of the suburbs. Every State has its unique features which ranges from rivers, valleys, mountains, to both natural and man-made designs. No matter your individual inclination, there is a State in the U.S. that fits perfectly. Real Estate is not just limited to American residents. Foreigners can purchase properties and make investments too. However, if you come from outside the U.S., you might be required to possess a visa. Those from visa-waiver countries will find ESTA information (Electronic System for Travel Authorization info) on how to make the trip fast and convenient. A second home is bought for different reasons. Maybe to lease it for rent or refurbish and sell at a higher price thereby making profit.

Points to consider

Nevertheless, anyone looking at securing real estate in the U.S. will have to examine a few factors:

You will need money. If you already have a first home, some banks will require a greater amount of down payment the second time around. This can be as high as 30% of the house value. You might be asked if you plan on selling your first home at some point. The requirements for approval of a second house mortgage can as well include seeing proof of a signficant financial reserve. These conditions are not usually recommended for first time home owners.

Your debt should be low. A second home increases your debts. So, lenders want to be certain you are not already consumed with outstanding credit bills.

You need more money each month. It is no rocket science to realise your monthly bills will increase significantly with two homes unlike if you had only one.

Difficulty in finding buyers and renters. It is remotely possible your plans may not work out exactly as anticipated. The buyers and renters may fail to come at due time or even not at all.

Entire process might take more energy and time. Real estate in some cases is like a job or career. It is not always as easy as it seems at first. Every new house owner must be generous with time and resources to care for the new property.

Best State for a second home

Factors that influence second home choices are individual preferences, lifestyle, career, future prospects, and availability of money.

Montana. The Yellowstone National Park is so large it reaches many States. Montana is one of them. The Park is one of the most stunning works of nature. It consists of luxuriant vegetation, spectacular rivers, and canyons. You can find amazing wildlife like antelopes, bears, and wolves. The Yellowstone National Park covers an area of about 3,500 square miles. There is definitely a lot to do and see in this breathtaking natural reserve. The presence of this awesome park puts Montana among the Top 10 most visited places in the United States. However, the attractions are not only limited to the park. This incredible State is popular for its awe-inspiring blue skies and immaculate landscapes. For lovers of history and those up for adventure, Lewis and Clark Trail offer a lot of activities and a possibility to see nature at its best while enjoying an amazing scenery. From the top of the Rocky Mountains and the Glacier National Park, you can enjoy astounding views of the landscape and surrounding areas. The Glacier National Park has peaks covered in white. The Triple Divide Pass has an abundance of wildlife and present a different perspective of the wonders of gorgeous Montana.

Enjoy every bit of Montana

Montana is a family friendly State. There are lots of things to do together. The tracks are perfect for family hike and road trips. Awesome memories can be made by exploring the dinosaur trail with children, hop on the rocks across a lake, and go on a hike to the glacier. There are yet further activities to keep your loved ones occupied round the clock. You can watch wildlife, go for water recreation, children museums, outdoor adventures, and in the cold seasons, there is winter family fun. Although Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks are stunning beyond words, there is yet more to Montana. Some of the other scenario to anticipate encompasses bears, bison, gorgeous waterfalls, rainbow-like streams, picturesque mountains and valleys. Road trips can be along the following regions the Glacier and Yellowstone, Missouri River, and Southwest Montana. Road trips can as well be based on areas of interest. For example, there is the National Geographic’s 10 ultimate trips, outside magazine’s six adventure trips, weekend getaways, day trips, and ski trips. Going for walks in the ghost towns will give the impression you are back in time. At night, the sky is bright enough and perfect for stargazing. Hot springs are ultimate relaxation spots for everyone.

Four Reasons Why Government-Issued Bitcoin Could Be A Reality

Economics

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22 June 2018

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Four Reasons Why Government-Issued Bitcoin Could Be A Reality

Anyone who has followed the tremendous ascension of the digital currency known as Bitcoin knows that it has gained much of its cachet for being free of any ties to regulatory bodies. For that reason, the idea that governments could one day work in tandem with Bitcoin and perhaps offer the coins to its citizens and legal governmental currency might seem far-fetched. To some people, that would take away much of the allure of Bitcoin. Yet it would also offer it some much-needed legitimacy and protection so that people who have invested heavily in it wouldn’t have to worry about a crackdown that would take everything they had built up in the digital currency realm away from them.

Bitcoin walking hand in hand with governments might not be in the offing right now, but it is something that, in many ways, seems an inevitability in the future, especially if those governments truly are concerned about what their citizens want. If it does become a kind of governmentally-approved coin, investors will likely have a lot to smile about it. For help getting started with investing in Bitcoin, you should check out an effective trading program like Bitcoin Code. In the meantime, here are some of the reasons that Bitcoin could ultimately win over governments.

It’s Popular

Again, this comes down to that thing about governments ideally acting on behalf of the will of the people. Consumers have been drawn to Bitcoin for the ease, convenience, and safety that it bestows upon every transaction made with it. They will likely demand those qualities from all transactions in the future, meaning governments would have to act.

It’s Fast

Governments are just like people, in that they like it when the money owed to them reaches them quickly. Bitcoin is the ideal method for making and receiving payments in a hurry. Imagine a government getting the taxes owed to them in minutes instead of days, how efficiently it could run and transfer that money to the areas that need it most.

It’s #1

Bitcoin still stands well above all other cryptocurrencies in terms of market capitalization and, perhaps most important currently, branding. People who use digital currency know where they stand with Bitcoin. Any government that aligns with them is likely to receive high approval from its citizens.

It’s Inevitable

There might be those who are still skeptical about Bitcoin, but largely those are the people who don’t quite understand it. The younger generation, which is technologically savvy and not prone to such inherent fears about new ways of doing things, will eventually oversee making decisions, even on a governmental level. Which means that Bitcoin should be part of the world’s financial fabric very soon.

These are just a few of the reasons why it seems like Bitcoin and the leaders of nations will eventually see eye to eye and walk hand in hand. It may not seem like it now, but that day is surely coming.

Understanding the Tradeoffs of Bitcoin Profits

Claire James

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22 June 2018

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Understanding the Tradeoffs of Bitcoin Profits

If you are one of the people who joined the Bitcoin train right after its departure, you likely have ridden yourself to significant prosperity. Those who came along at one of the later stops likely know that it has seemed more like a rollercoaster than a smooth ride. As a result, many people who have yet to come on board might be wondering if it is all worth it. After all, Bitcoin brings with it the potential of huge profits, both soon and many years down the road from here. By the same token, it also contains great uncertainty, the kind of uncertainty that not only drives volatility but also brings with it the lingering possibility that the digital coins might one day be worth nothing at all.

Yet it’s probably not a good idea to expect the absolute worst from Bitcoin, because if you do, you could be denying yourself a great opportunity. No matter what the naysayers think, the technology that is at the heart of Bitcoin is strong and applicable to many other activities in life besides simply making and receiving payments. As a result, the opportunity to earn with Bitcoin is strong. That means that you should consider making it part of your portfolio, perhaps by utilizing a trading robot like Bitcoin Loophole. Once you do, you’ll start to understand the dichotomy of Bitcoin. It brings with it the possibilities of great wealth, but it does so by exacting a price on your nervous system.

The Volatility Factor

Many investors try to shy away from volatility always, fearing the ups and downs will eventually become all down. Yet what you need to realize is that volatility is only a factor in the short term. If you can hold onto an asset like Bitcoin for a long period of time, you don’t need to worry about all the craziness of its frequent rises and falls in short segments, and using a beginner friendly trading application like Bitcoin pro app, can really help keep you stay up to date with your investment.

The Potential

Bitcoin is at a tender stage in its development, a time when many people are concerned about whether it has the staying power to withstand the pressure that is inevitably going to be put on it by regulatory bodies. Yet the bottom line is that Bitcoin’s possible futures include one where it pretty much eliminates the need for cash or credit cards and becomes the dominant force in personal finance.

Making the Tradeoff

This is where your fortitude as an investor comes into play. You must expect that Bitcoin is headed for a lot of swales along with the high points. If you can ride that out, you have the opportunity to be involved in an investment opportunity with a much higher ceiling than established assets. If you can focus on that ceiling, you won’t worry about the remote possibility that the floor caves in.

Being involved in Bitcoin means living with the tradeoffs. If you can, you should reap great rewards at the end of the line.

Using Trading Volume as An Indicator for Cryptocurrency Investments

Claire James

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22 June 2018

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Using Trading Volume as An Indicator for Cryptocurrency Investments

If you are interested in getting involved in the world of cryptocurrency investments but aren’t sure how it all works, you should find some assurance in the knowledge that many of the same techniques and strategies that apply to other assets like stocks also apply to trading crypto, such as using a trading program like Bitcoin Trader. As a result, if you’re familiar with one, you should have a pretty good hold on the other. That doesn’t mean that everything is the same in terms of the nuts and bolts of how trades are executed and the like. But it does mean that, once you have the ins and outs of pulling off crypto trades down pat, you should be able to fall back on some tried and true strategies.

Examining trading volume certainly falls into that category of established strategies for trading assets. And it turns out that is especially effective when figuring out how to approach trades in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Perhaps you’re a trading novice, in which case you may choose to get your exposure to digital coins via a trading program, one designed to avoid Bitcoin scams. Once you have that in place, you don’t need to do a thing except make the initial investment and let the profits roll in. But, if you’re the type who likes to control your investing on your own, you should read on to see how trading volume comes into play in that process.

What It Is

Simply put, trading volume is a measurement of the number of trades made with an asset. It isn’t concerned with the value or price of the asset at all. It simply counts the trades, both buying and selling, made with the asset during a given period. This information can be used by traders to determine the kind of interest and buzz around an asset, both positive and negative.

What It Means

The way that traders most often use trading volume information is to determine the viability of a trend. If price movement is accompanied by significant volume, it usually means that the movement is something that is reliable. By contrast, a movement up and down that is not associated with the volume of any great amount means that the trend could be nothing more than a momentary flare-up.

How It Applies to Crypto

You can use trading volume in several ways when it comes to cryptocurrency investing. You might check to see if a certain coin is making a move in relation to others in the market. You can also use to judge if the cryptocurrency asset class is legitimately surging or falling and attempt to catch that wave. Considering that cryptocurrency tends to lean toward extreme volatility, using volume to spot legitimate trends is crucial.

Trading volume is an important tool that analytical investors use when trading. Using it in conjunction with cryptocurrency trading can be extremely effective in this somewhat new field of investment.

Can You Ask Employees Learn or Speak English?

Elliot

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22 June 2018

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Can You Ask Employees Learn or Speak English?

The area of law surrounding employment is, as with many areas of law, is one that can not only have the obvious legal ramifications but can also be quite emotionally charged as well. This is even more so when discussing the issues and rights surrounding non-native English employees and the rights surrounding social practices and languages spoken at work.

Under the Equality Act 2010 race is defined as something that includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. Native languages clearly fall under this definition. So any moves by an employer to treat someone differently based on language can be race discrimination.

Before looking at the issues surrounding language at work there are no cases or rules to suggest employers cannot support staff by offering ways to learn English. Options like offering online English lessons for example or setting up classes in work provided by an outsourced agency. There may be some issues around forcing people to do this as part of a role however but by offering this kind of thing at no cost in work time with no pressure would be a positive thing.

Additionally, for those teaching English abroad, participating in a TEFL internship in China provides a unique opportunity for aspiring English teachers to gain hands-on experience in a diverse cultural setting, honing their language teaching skills while immersing themselves in the rich tapestry of Chinese language and culture.

Customer Facing

In the public sector customer facing roles come with an expectance that the individual will be able to speak fluent English since the Immigration Act 2016. This, however, is not the case in the private sector. It is quite natural for a company to consider the issues surrounding customer service in a predominantly English speaking country. It is also natural for this consideration to look at the level of fluency in English and being able to deliver a clear and concise service to the customer. Explaining detailed terms and conditions for example could leave a customer unsure of their cancellation rights if the staff they spoke to were not able to clearly explain everything. However, this consideration is one that should be approached very carefully and with special care given to think about the rights of the individual and how much English is really needed. The area of discrimination around race is very closely associated with spoken language.

Internal Staff Relationships

As well as customer facing considerations many employers are looking at how their staff communicate in the work place. This is not just about chatting in a tea room, it is also looking at how a fire drill might be explained or how an HR issue may be dealt with if multiple languages are involved. Once again, any choices made around this without legal consideration could leave employers open to discrimination claims and in many cases quite rightly.

Speaking Different Languages in the Workplace

There is a clear point of differentiation around asking people to have a certain standard in English and asking them not to speak their own language between other people using the same language. Stopping people conversing in their own language is highly likely to be considered discriminatory as stated in the Acas Guide Race Discrimination: Key Points for the workplace.

The Law

English Needed for A Job

The three situations mentioned above cover different areas of language in the work place. Employers can consider a grasp of English to be a factor for rejecting a candidate during interview, but they must be very careful to be able to explain it is because the role itself depends on fluent English. For example, a job in the stock room of a large company would not be a job where English was considered essential like a customer facing role. It is still important to very carefully consider the discrimination rules even when it seems very clear.

Common Language Policy

There have been 3 major cases where the discrimination has been proved as employers tried to force people to not speak their native languages at work.

Jurga v Lavendale Montessori Ltd

In this case race discrimination was proven because the Polish speaking employees were actually told off for speaking their native language at break times while their Italian colleagues were allowed to speak their language with no issue. This was clearly leaving one set of people disadvantaged and persecuted.

Dziedziak v Future Electronics Ltd

The Employment Appeal Tribunal found a manager guilty of discrimination when the employee was asked to stop speaking Polish at work. It was done face to face after another employee had complained it was distracting. The claimant was selected for redundancy later and claimed it was all part of discriminatory behaviour.

Kelly v Covance Laboratories Limited

In this case Kelly had been working for a company active in animal testing. Previously activists had infiltrated the company under cover and staff were clearly at risk. When the claimant was heard having long conversations on the phone in the toilets they were asked to stop. This was upheld under the grounds that there was reasonable suspicion around her behaviour. The action was in line with protecting the rest of the work force. This was clearly not about her being Russian and would have been the same for any language.

The Answer

The key for any employer wishing to have a “workplace language” is to specify English is the language of operation for their business. They must not specify a requirement not to speak any other languages at all. The policy must also be applied equally across all nationalities.

Conclusion

Many workplaces benefit from a broad and diverse ethnic staff mix. Different languages spoken across breaks and working areas should not be an issue. Any kind of push to stop a single type of language being spoken is considered discrimination. But having a set language of operation does allow employers to communicate with staff clearly when it comes to matters like safety and HR. In some cases an employer may wish to create policies in other languages to be more helpful.

Requiring English at a certain level for a role is allowed but employers must be ready to very clearly justify why it is critical for the role or they could face discrimination charges.

Asking staff to learn English as part of their development is unlikely to be met with anything other than positivity if the classes are paid for and time is allowed during work/ compensation given via time or money to do so.

How Lawmakers Will Play A Determining Role in The Future of Bitcoin

Claire James

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22 June 2018

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How Lawmakers Will Play A Determining Role in The Future of Bitcoin

Success usually invites scrutiny. And such is the case with the digital coins known as Bitcoin. These coins, which were created only a decade or so ago and give adopters the chance to buy and sell on the internet without the need for an overseeing third party, have enjoyed a stunning rise in value from their earliest days. As a result, that has resulted in large, governing bodies trying to decide whether the coins are in some way unhealthy for the population at large. It can make Bitcoin users extremely leery about the future of the coins, as it seems like whether they will continue to make for both good investments and useful financial tools can come down to when and where lawmakers decide to weigh in on the issue.

For that reason, it’s a good idea for those folks who are investing in Bitcoin to keep an eye on the news pages as well as the financial and technology sections when they are reading their morning papers. That can let them know if a local or national body is going to crack down on the coins or perhaps embrace them in some way. If you are planning to invest in Bitcoin, you might want to utilize a trading program in the manner of Bitcoin Code which automatically incorporates all of this information into its decision-making process. In the meantime, investors should consider the legal plight of Bitcoin when deciding whether to buy and sell.

What Scares Lawmakers

Lawmakers are inherently suspicious of things of which they have no control, and Bitcoin falls into that realm. Not only do they have no control of it, but they are watching as many people get extremely wealthy simply by being involved in it. That kind of attention-grabbing works for Bitcoin in that it attracts curious investors, but it also works against it because it quickly garners the notice of regulatory bodies who aren’t sure about it all.

The Bad Actors

In the past, there have been a few instances where people used the clandestine, secured nature of Bitcoin transactions to conduct illegal activities. These activities received a lot of notoriety when they were discovered and prosecuted, perhaps in no small part to the fact that Bitcoin, which many people didn’t know about at the time, was involved. That put it on lawmakers’ radar in a big way.

Federal Vs Local

If indeed there is some sort of attempt to harness Bitcoin or even crack down on it by local authorities, investors may still be able to skirt by while holding on to their coins. That’s because legal bodies don’t usually move fast, and they are often constrained in terms of their limits. Think of how, in the United States, there is always an uneasy balance between the laws of state and federal governments.

The horizon in terms of regulatory oversight on Bitcoin is very much cloudy. Investors should keep their eye on that horizon as much as possible even while staying concerned about how Bitcoin is doing in the here and now.

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Outlook going forward

The beautiful States in the US

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Customer Facing

Internal Staff Relationships

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The Law

The Answer

Conclusion

ABC Money 2025 - 1st Edition