| 
Employment Rights Bill: What’s Changing?
An Amendment Paper on the Employment Rights Bill was published at the end of November. Key proposed changes include the following proposals from the Government:
Continue ReadingAuthor Archive
Government announces new rates for family leave pay and statutory sick pay from 6th April 2025
The statutory rates of pay applicable to the various different types of family leave which can be taken, together with the amount payable as statutory sick pay, are updated on an annual basis. The new rates, which will apply from 6th April 2025, have now been published by the Government. The new rates are as follows:
Continue ReadingUplifts for failure to follow fire and rehire code of practice to apply to protective awards from January 2025
When the Code of Practice on Dismissal and Re-engagement came into force in July this year, a notable omission from the list of claims to which uplifts could be applied for non-compliance was protective awards.
Continue ReadingCompensation for discrimination: injury to feelings awards
In discrimination cases, employees can claim compensation for the emotional distress caused by their employer’s actions. This is called an injury to feelings award, which is separate from any financial loss.
Continue ReadingWhat can employers do if they find that an employee has lied on their CV?
Rachel Reeves, our current Chancellor, came in for some criticism recently when it was claimed that she had tweaked the details of a previous role at HBOS on her LinkedIn profile (referring to her job as one of ‘economist’ when, allegedly, the role had been a ‘retail banking’ one).
Continue ReadingWhen can an employer lawfully deduct from an employee’s wages?
If an employee carries out work, then they are generally entitled to receive wages from their employer in return. The amount of wages payable will generally be set out in the employment contract. Making deductions from the amount otherwise due can be tricky. But deductions can be lawful when made for the right reason and managed correctly.
Continue ReadingTUPE: a step-by-step guide to the rules around relevant transfers and dismissal
In De Marchi v London United, the Employment Appeal Tribunal shone a light on the complicated and fiddly provisions contained in the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) relating to relevant transfers and termination of employment. Here is our step-by-step guide to the rules as they are currently understood:
Continue ReadingDefining harassment in the workplace: Lessons from Carozzi and Forsbrook
‘Harassment’ doesn’t exist as a free-standing employment claim in the UK. To successfully claim harassment in an employment tribunal, an employee needs to be able to show that the harassment was ‘related to’ a protected characteristic. That is not to say that the employee is required to show that the harassment was ‘because of’ the protected characteristic. The causal bar is not set that high. But some linking factor is required. The relevant protected characteristics for harassment are: sex, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, disability, age and gender reassignment.
Continue ReadingAI credited with encouraging a serial litigant in a disability discrimination claim against a prospective employer
AI applications such as ChatGPT have, over the last 12 months or so, become an important tool in improving business efficiency. However, a recent tribunal judgment indicates that it is not just employers who are taking advantage of AI. It was recently credited with encouraging a serial litigant in a disability discrimination claim against a prospective employer.
Continue ReadingEAT gives guidance on dismissing employees fairly when the employment relationship has broken down
Employees with over two years’ service have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. This means that if an employer wants to end an employee’s employment fairly once they have two years’ service, then they need to be able to point to a ‘fair reason’ and show that they acted reasonably in relying on that reason to dismiss.
Continue Reading