Do you wish to employ staff from overseas? Do you know how to establish whether a prospective employee is legally entitled to work in the UK? Are you aware that from 29 February 2008, employers who negligently hire illegal workers face a fine of up to £10,000 for each offence and those who knowingly hire illegal workers risk an unlimited fine and/or a prison sentence of up to two years?

It is a common scenario which unfortunately most employers will face at some stage. An employee comes to you to say that their wallet, mobile phone, coat, ipod, cash or the like has been taken or damaged. But who is responsible for loss or damage caused to employees' personal property whilst they are at work? Are there any legal obligations on employers in such circumstances to repair or replace employees' belongings or to provide secure facilities for employees to store their belongings at work?

The term 'shifter' might seem an odd one. But if you indulge in 'income shifting', it seems the taxman is likely to take an increased interest in your affairs from next April - and may well contend that a further tax bill will be shifted your way as a result.

Competitions can be a great form of below-the-line advertising. But if they are not run properly, or in accordance with the law, then they can badly backfire causing reputational damage and regulatory action as well as financial loss. One only has to think of names such as Hoover, Blue Peter, Richard and Judy etc etc.

Every business at one point or another will need some form of financial help. It could something as mundane as which bank to choose or how to deal with debt. It could be more highbrow - how to raise funds for expansion or how to buy another business. Either way, knowledge is power and you need to know where to turn.

Directors have powers to take majority business decisions on behalf of the companies. As such, it comes as no surprise that various duties are imposed on them to ensure that the companies' interests are protected. Under the old rules, directors' have duties including the duty to act in good faith to the best interest of the company; the duty to avoid conflicts of interest; the duty not to profit from their offices, and the duty of care and skill.

Small businesses don't usually look towards the House of Lords for guidance on how they can organise their tax affairs but their Lordships' recent decision in the Long-running - some six years - saga of the 'Arctic Systems' case has been very helpful in that regard. So what was it all about, how can husband and wife businesses use the decision to validate their tax planning and is there a danger the tax rules will be changed in the future?

Dress codes have hit the headlines in recent months, with the news reports about Aishah Azmi, the teaching assistant who was suspended after refusing to remove her veil, and Nadia Eweida, the British Airways check-in worker who was not allowed to wear her crucifix outside her uniform.

The Health Act 2006 places a smoking ban on virtually all enclosed public places and workspaces in the UK as of 1 July 2007, which obliges employers to both prohibit and actively take steps to prevent smoking on their premises. Although the government is yet to provide full details of the ban, no doubt you’ll have concerns and questions in relation to this somewhat controversial piece of legislation. Read on.

When proceedings have been issued, most company directors are likely to share the view of the American social commentator Ambrose Bierce who said that "Litigation is a machine which you go into as a pig and come out of as a sausage."

There are many times when a business may need money and advice. It could be for a start up, expansion or for a new idea. But apart from the traditional bank sources and your local library, there may be other places to look – the Government grant and support network.

As an employer, your need to understand the new anti-age discrimination legislation: if you do not or do not comply with it you will risk unlimited compensation awards being made against you and there are only limited defences available.

As health and safety increasingly forms part of the daily headlines with multi-million pound fines being handed out to companies; directors, managers and employees being jailed or heavily fined for health and safety breaches companies are still failing to get a real grip on the key issues. Here we explore the top health and safety myths which frequently lead businesses to serious trouble.