HR Articles

Embracing diversity enhances business resilience – and the UK can lead the way, says Clarkslegal’s Monica Atwal

A district judge, is trying to raise £10,000 to fight a Court of Appeal decision that judges cannot be classed as workers by requesting donations towards her cause. At the point of writing just over 25% of the target funds have been raised.

The government has confirmed this week that it is considering reintroducing fees for employment tribunal claims. Following the introduction of fees in 2013 (which ranged between £390 and £1,200), the total number of tribunal claims dropped from approximately 80,000 to roughly 20,000 per year.

The Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Act, which received Royal Assent earlier this year, is expected to come into force in 2020. The Act introduces a new statutory right to time off work for employed parents following the loss of a child, enabling the parent to grieve and easing recovery.

A round up of the key announcements from the Chancellor’s Budget that effect the Employment Law landscape

The EAT has handed down its decision in Evans v Xactly finding that, calling an employee a “fat ginger pikey” did not amount to harassment on the facts of the case. The Claimant was employed as a sales representative for Xactly Communications Limited where he was dismissed due to his poor performance.

In the recent case of WM Morrison Supermarkets plc v Various Claimants, Morrisons faced claims from its employees who had been the subject of a data breach. Morrisons employed a senior IT auditor who was tasked with sending data on approximately 100,000 employees to an external auditing company.

In Timis v Osipov, the Court of Appeal held that two directors were personally liable for detrimental treatment following protected disclosures even where the detriment in question amounted to a dismissal. The claimant was dismissed by International Petroleum Limited (IPL) after making a number of protected disclosures on issues relating to poor corporate governance.

The long-running legal battle over union recognition for Boots pharmacists has finally concluded. The Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) has decided this month that Boots pharmacists can be collectively represented by an independent trade union.

The MAC report has been long awaited and has been anticipated as evidence to what the UK’s future intentions in regards to Immigration policy may be following Brexit. In general, it seems the report suggests that workers from EEA countries should not be given preference over those from other nations in post-Brexit immigration policy.