Month: July 2022

Post Office scandal – Victims to receive more compensation

29 July 2022

Victims of the Post Office scandal, which led to false accusations and criminal convictions of staff for theft, will have their compensation topped up by a total of £19.5m as a final resolution between parties continues to be negotiated. What is the Post Office scandal? Between 2000 and 2014, the Post Office prosecuted over 700 […]

Victimisation Discrimination Case study:

28 July 2022

Ms Allison Bailey V (1) Stonewall Equality Limited (2) Garden Court Chambers Limited (3) Rajiv Menon QC and Stephanie Harrison QC. Case number: 2202172/2020 Allison Bailey is a criminal defence barrister and was at the subject of victimisation discrimination at Garden Court Chambers – the largest barristers’ chambers in London. She has been a tenant […]

Paternity leave for fathers: Survey paints bleak picture

27 July 2022

A survey conducted by Pregnant Then Screwed has revealed just how frustrated fathers are at a perceived lack of paternity leave for fathers and support from their employers. Over 7,000 dads took part in the survey which secured some remarkable data. Before we get to that data, let’s look at the backdrop against which the […]

Trade union laws: Upcoming changes

25 July 2022

The government has announced two pieces of legislation affecting trade union laws. The proposed legislation comes as strike ballots continue to mount in the face of rising inflation causing real terms cuts to wages and a cost of living crisis. Anti-trade union rhetoric from ministers has made clear that the government is seeking to undermine […]

Pregnancy discrimination in the workplace: Burns V Tralee Ltd

20 July 2022

In the case of Burns v Tralee Ltd, an Employment Tribunal was asked to determine whether the claimant had experienced pregnancy discrimination in the workplace by her employer. In a judgment that reads as a salutary lesson for employers in how not to treat pregnant women, the Employment Tribunal found in the claimant’s favour. Background […]

A legal maximum working temperature

18 July 2022

As the climate crisis continues its dangerous trajectory, the UK is again facing a heatwave and anticipating record-breaking temperatures. Across the country, fans will be turning, ice lollies dripping, while the Daily Mail is recommending that people lick their wrists to keep cool. A question that often gets raised in the summer is: what is […]

Failure to make reasonable adjustments case study:

15 July 2022

Will a failure to make reasonable adjustments leading up to the dismissal of disabled employee make their dismissal unfair? A failure to make reasonable adjustments leading up to the dismissal of a disabled employee will not necessarily make their dismissal unfair. The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decided this in Knightley v Chelsea Westminster Hospital NHS […]

Ethical veganism – not a protected philosophical belief. Free Miles v RVC:

13 July 2022

An Employment Tribunal has found that ethical veganism encompassing an obligation to break the law to relieve animal suffering did not amount to a philosophical belief under section 10 of the Equality Act 2010. The Claimant, Shakira Free Miles, was a veterinary nurse for the Respondent, the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). Ms Free Miles was […]

Unfair dismissal – Kong appeal for whistleblowing is rejected

8 July 2022

The Court of Appeal has dismissed Ms Kong’s unfair dismissal appeal as a result of making protected disclosures. The facts of the case are as follows: the Appellant was employed as Head of Financial Audit for the Respondent’s bank.  She had worked there for over eight years and had unblemished service.  As Head of Financial […]