Grant Thornton is the first major accounting firm to be hit by the coronavirus crisis and is asking staff to reduce their hours or consider taking a sabbatical in a bid to shore up business and continue to support client base, reports Sara White

Workers who have not taken all of their statutory annual leave entitlement due to Covid-19 will now be able to carry it over into the next two leave years, the government has announced

Contractors and others who work through personal service companies (PSCs) fear they risk being left without government support for lost earnings as a result of coronavirus, because they do not meet the requirements of current support schemes

Students in the accountancy sector may have longer to revise as exams are pushed back due to the covid-19 crisis, although some exams may go online, reports Zak Jakubowski

The length of time an audit partner can remain in position without rotating off the client company can be extended on a temporary basis due to the ongoing covid-19 crisis, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has confirmed, while it is calling for a halt on company audit tender processes, reports Philip Smith 

Companies will not be required to report on their gender pay gap data this year, as is mandatory for those with over 250 employees, because of the coronavirus pandemic, reports Pat Sweet

Parents whose work is critical to the covid-19 response, such as workers in the financial market infrastructure, can qualify to have their children in school as part of government measures to support the economy during the covid-19 crisis

In the face of the covid-19 crisis, accountancy firms have been forced to overhaul their entire working practices, adopt firm-wide home working, cancel face-to-face client meetings and work 24/7 to support their clients. Philip Smith reports on how they are coping

HMRC has scored a victory over Middlesbrough Football Club, currently 19th in the now suspended Championship, at an employment tribunal appeal over underpayments of the national minimum wage (NMW) relating to employee deductions for season tickets

People unable to work for more than seven days because of coronavirus can obtain an isolation note through a new online service

Specialist counselling, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, is to be added to the list of non-taxable occupational health services provided by employers, in a bid to support improvements in individuals’ health

HMRC has made changes in its office closure plans by extending the life of hubs in Washington and Bradford on a transitional basis

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) has cancelled two upcoming conferences due to covid-19 outbreak and closed its London HQ as all staff go to remote working

EY has appointed Hywel Ball to succeed Steve Varley in the firm’s top role, as EY UK & Ireland regional managing partner and UK chair, taking over on 1 July