Tis the season to be merry. But not even Santa is above the law. That is why Macnabs has put together this guide to make sure everyone in Lapland enjoys the festivities and Santa and Mrs Claus are still in a job next year:
- Long hours, no breaks, and somewhat unflattering work uniforms, do the Elves even have a legit employment contract in place? Are they on Zero Hours Contracts? Or what about Rudolph and his reindeers? They have been promoted from Uber drivers to sleigh drivers over Christmas, and are effectively part of the new ‘gig economy’ but surely they should be entitled to holiday and sick pay? Santa has a duty towards his staff to ensure they are provided with a suitable, safe working environment and that their terms of employment meet statutory requirements – let’s hope he understands the new legislation and continues to fulfil his duties this year.
- Will he or won’t he? No of course, nobody likes to think about it, but have you seen the speed these reindeers pull the sleighs nowadays? And poor Santa having to walk precariously across the rooftops and squeeze himself through the chimneys. Fingers crossed it’s all plain sailing again this year, but if not does he have a Will in place? Is Mrs Claus his Power of Attorney should he not make it back in time to start the planning for next Christmas and she has to take over the financial affairs? We hope he is as good at his own financial planning as he is with planning our gifts.
- With Brexit having very little impact on the North Pole and increasing signs of stability in the commercial property market in Lapland, perhaps now is a good time for Santa Inc. to look for a new warehouse. We can put him in touch with some seasoned developers and investors if he needs a helping hand.
- You’re going to be treading over bits of lego, tripping over racing cars, finding Barbie and all her accessories scattered about the living room, not to mention the dreaded slime that will be trodden into the carpets and no doubt be well forgotten after Christmas Day - maybe now is the time to consider moving to a bigger house? Or perhaps downsizing is a better option so you don’t have to host Christmas Day dinner again next year? It’s not just Santa and his team that we are looking out for, but the Macnabs property specialists can also help you if you are thinking of moving.
- Let’s just hope that after decades in the job, Santa considers his ‘Elf & Safety’ responsibilities this year. Although at Macnabs we have considerable expertise in accident claims, we don’t really want to see elves complaining of bad backs after hours on shift building toys, reindeers tripping over each other whilst riding the skies, or toys that are not up to British and Lapland safety standards.
- Mrs Claus never seems to get the recognition she deserves. Always in the background providing cookies for the elves, caring for the reindeer, and making sure her husband has the right lists and instructions, it’s no wonder she gets a bit fed up at times. Let’s hope the relationship doesn’t break down and she needs one of the Macnabs family law experts to help negotiate a separation or divorce – there could be a big financial support case here.
With all this helpful advice, all that remains to be seen is whether the Macnabs offices are spotted all the way from Lapland and we remain on Santa’s “nice” list this year.
Macnabs wish all our clients and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
