Introducing an Employment Rights Bill within 100 days of taking office was one of the Labour government’s core pledges. The Bill was published today and includes many, but not all, of the policies in the “Plan to Make Work...more
The King’s Speech confirms that the UK government will introduce an Employment Rights Bill into Parliament in the next session. This should be published within 100 days. Although the Speech and supporting papers provide more...more
Changing employment terms by dismissing and re-engaging employees has become increasingly controversial. The government does not want to make so-called “fire and re-hire” illegal, but it also wants employers to view the...more
Last year the UK government promised to introduce a statutory Code of Practice setting out the standards employers should observe if they are considering dismissing and re-engaging staff as a way of changing employee terms...more
Dismissing an employee for long term sickness absence could be discrimination arising from a disability if an employer cannot show that the dismissal is objectively justified. The recent UK EAT decision in Department for Work...more
The High Court of Justice for England and Wales has prevented an employer from dismissing employees and offering to re-engage them on new terms. As the employer was seeking to remove a right to enhanced pay that it had...more
An English employment tribunal decided that it was fair for an employer to dismiss a care home worker when she refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19. However, employers should not assume that the decision means that it...more
Using “fire and rehire” as a way to implement changes to terms and conditions of employment has become increasingly controversial in the UK in recent years. In October the government blocked legislation that would have made...more
In Gwynedd Council v Barratt the UK Court of Appeal confirmed that a redundancy dismissal will not be unfair solely because an employer has not offered an employee a right to appeal. However, failing to offer an appeal...more
First tribunal guidance on "serious and imminent" danger in context of COVID-19 -
In Rodgers v Leeds Laser Cutting Ltd the Employment Tribunal considered whether an employee had been unfairly dismissed for refusing to attend...more
4/26/2021
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Infectious Diseases ,
International Labor Laws ,
UK ,
Unfair Dismissal ,
Unfair Labor Practices ,
Workplace Safety
Split the difference - CJEU decision on fragmentation applies to service provision changes -
When a contract is retendered, services that were originally provided by a single contractor may be divided between two or more...more
Way ahead – Roadmap for employment tribunals published:
The Presidents of the Employment Tribunals have published a roadmap outlining a plan for increasing the number of employment tribunal hearings that can take place...more
Turning a blind eye – one-off act not a PCP -
In Ishola v Transport for London the Court of Appeal confirmed that it was not a provision, criterion or practice to require an employee to return to work before a proper...more
2/26/2020
/ Appeals ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Employment Litigation ,
Grievance Process ,
Gross Misconduct ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Labor Law Violations ,
New Guidance ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
UK ,
Unfair Dismissal
Timing is everything – acts pre-dating disability not discrimination -
The EAT decision in Tesco Stores Ltd v Tennant confirmed that an employee could not bring a discrimination complaint in relation to acts that pre-dated...more
2/10/2020
/ Contract Terms ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Exclusive Jurisdiction ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Labor Regulations ,
Shareholders' Agreements ,
UK ,
UK Employment Appeal Tribunal ,
Unfair Dismissal
Gathering clouds – flawed investigation made dismissal unfair -
In Sunshine Hotel Ltd t/a Palm Court Hotel v Goddard the EAT agreed that failing to hold an investigatory meeting does not necessarily make a dismissal...more
1/13/2020
/ Employee Misconduct ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Equal Pay ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Job Promotions ,
Labor Regulations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
UK ,
UK Employment Appeal Tribunal ,
Unfair Dismissal ,
Workplace Investigations
It's no secret – protected conversation potentially admissible -
The EAT decided in Harrison v Aryman Ltd that a claimant could potentially rely on a protected conversation in evidence. This was the case even though she...more
10/7/2019
/ Employee Misconduct ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Evidence ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Protected Disclosures ,
Rest and Meal Break ,
UK ,
Unfair Dismissal ,
Wage and Hour
Space invaders – parking policy relevant to reasonable adjustments claim -
In Linsley v Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs the EAT confirmed that the employer's parking policy should not have been...more
4/15/2019
/ Appeals ,
Collective Bargaining ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Disciplinary Proceedings ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
International Labor Laws ,
Parking Lots ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Trade Unions ,
UK ,
UK Employment Appeal Tribunal ,
Unfair Dismissal
No objection – TUPE was principal reason for dismissal -
In Hare Wines Ltd v Kaur, the Court of Appeal confirmed that a TUPE transfer was the principal reason for an employee's dismissal, despite the employer's evidence...more
3/4/2019
/ Disability ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Tribunals ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
TUPE ,
UK ,
Unfair Dismissal ,
Wage and Hour
Looking back – limited appeal investigation not unfair -
It was not unfair for an employer to place limits on a disciplinary appeal investigation where the employee's representative had agreed to this, according to the EAT...more
No right to dismiss where employee entitled to disability payments -
In Awan v ICTS UK Limited the EAT confirmed that there was an implied term in the employee's contract that his employer would not dismiss him for...more
Weekly newsletter on employment matters.
In this weeks issue:
- Ask the question – employee not necessarily required to suggest bumping...
- I work from 9 to 5 – no injury to feelings compensation for breach of...more
3/26/2018
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Father's Rights ,
Hiring & Firing ,
International Labor Laws ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Parental Leave ,
Redundancy Dismissals ,
Rest and Meal Break ,
UK ,
Unfair Dismissal ,
Unpaid Wages ,
Wage and Hour
Weekly newsletter on employment matters.
In this weeks issue:
- Ask the right question – disability and occupational health advice
- All work and no pay – standby time at home was working time
- Going up –...more