News and Knowledge

Backlash as employment bill omitted from Queen’s Speech

Two years since it was first proposed, as had been widely predicted, the employment bill was not mentioned in the 2022 Queen’s Speech, implying that it has once again been put on the backburner by the government.   The Employment Bill omitted – which was initially announced in the Queen’s Speech in 2019 – would…

When April Fools’ jokes become no laughing matter

A joke in the right circumstances is often what makes long-standing friendships and workplaces fun, but we all know of instances where a joke can be taken too far. Here is one such example, taken to the extreme.   Facts of the case Mr Buchholz, a Technical Product Manager at Geze, had been with the…

NatWest Facing Potentially Huge Pay Out After Being Found Guilty of Disability Discrimination

NatWest has recently been found guilty of disability discrimination against an employee, and it has been held that they unfairly dismissed said employee just two days after her cancer surgery.   Adeline Willis, a Risk & Compliance Offer, had worked for the bank for more than 6 years. She said the redundancy process undertaken by…

P&O Redundancies: A Legal Breakdown

P&O Ferries has confirmed that around 800 workers are to be made redundant due to the business not being “viable” in its current state.   It is understood that the company intends to use agency staff moving forward. On Thursday morning, the company announced that it was bringing all scheduled sailings to a halt ahead…

Worker wins £22k after being called an ‘old white man’

A worker who claimed that comments made by a colleague lead to him being signed off work with depression has been successful in a claim for race and age discrimination.   Mr Barry Moore, 55, was awarded compensation totalling over £22,000.00 in the Leeds Employment Tribunal after he was subjected to harassment and abuse by…

Sick pay slashed for unvaccinated staff that are forced to self-isolate

A growing list of firms and businesses are changing their rules to cut the amount of sick pay those who are required to self-isolate due to COVID exposure will receive.   Ikea has become the latest big name to reduce the sick pay entitlement for some of their unvaccinated staff and this means that those…

Case Update on Protected Disclosures

In a claim where a Claimant feels they have been treated unfairly for making protected disclosures, should it be considered by a tribunal whether any of the disclosures were material factors in their treatment, rather than the sole cause?   It was held in the EAT case of Fitzmaurice v Luton Irish Forum that the…

Requiring Foster Carers To Refrain From Homosexual Behaviour Is Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Requiring that people who want to join foster agencies as carers refrain from homosexual behaviour has been confirmed to be unlawful direct sexual orientation discrimination, as established in the recent Court of Appeal case of R (Cornerstone Fostering) v Ofsted.   Cornerstone Fostering was an independent fostering agency that places children in need with foster…

Knowledge of Disability is Essential – Employment Appeals Tribunal

A recent case has shown that it is crucial that an employee raises any possible disability they have with their employer as soon as possible, if they wish to later rely upon it.   In the recent case of Stott v Ralli Ltd, the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) confirmed that a tribunal is entitled to…

Employee Made Redundant In A Car Park Wins £42,000

A recent case in the Employment Tribunal shows the importance of getting a redundancy process correct.   Mr Dolby, the Claimant, was employed as a Business Development Manager at Stuart Plant Ltd and had been so for 10 years. He had been asked by his boss, Stuart Sayer, for a ‘catch-up’ at a local Holiday…