Head teacher sacked for tapping own child’s hand with fingers wins tribunal case – The Independent

‘An experienced primary school head teacher sacked for assault after tapping her own son’s hand to stop him playing with a bottle of hand sanitiser was unfairly dismissed, an employment tribunal has ruled.’

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The Independent, 9th March 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Home Office plans new protest offences and anti-Zionism is a protected belief – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Home Office has announced its intention to create new offences relating to actions taken by attendees at protests. The plans include making it an offence to possess flares or pyrotechnics at a protest, to wear a face covering at a protest, and to climb on war memorials. The changes will be added as amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill. The Home Office has emphasised that the new rules are not a blanket ban on face coverings, and only apply where the protester’s intention is to conceal their identity.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th February 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Shahrar Ali wins ‘gender critical’ court battle against Green Party – BBC News

‘The Green Party discriminated against former deputy leader Dr Shahrar Ali during a row over his gender critical beliefs, a court has ruled.’

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BBC News, 9th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Anti-Zionism as a protected belief: Miller – Law & Religion UK

‘In Dr David Miller v University of Bristol [2024] ET 1400780/2022, the claimant was appointed Professor of Political Sociology at the University from 1 September 2018. In 2019 there were complaints about his conduct, including what was said to be his use of antisemitic language. The Community Security Trust charity said that a lecture he had given had been a “false, vile, anti-Semitic slur”. As part of the internal complaints procedure the University appointed an independent barrister to investigate; the overall conclusion of the resulting report, delivered on 4 December 2020, was that there was no formal case to answer in connection with any of the matters investigated.’

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Law & Religion UK, 7th February 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Bristol University academic unfairly dismissed for anti-Zionist views – BBC News

‘An academic experienced discrimination when he was sacked from his university for comments he made about Israel, a tribunal has ruled.’

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BBC News, 6th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

CBI settles legal action with ex-chief Tony Danker – The Guardian

Posted February 6th, 2024 in complaints, lobbying, news, professional conduct, unfair dismissal by tracey

‘One of the UK’s most prominent business lobby groups, the Confederation of British Industry, has settled a legal dispute with its former leader, Tony Danker.’

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The Guardian, 5th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tribunal doubles costs award against “unreasonable” CIty firm staffer – Legal Futures

‘A former employee of City giant Hogan Lovells tried to cause “maximum disruption” to the law firm in bringing employment tribunal proceedings, “perhaps as some form of revenge for his dismissal”, a judge has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 5th January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Grenfell solicitor wins unfair dismissal claim over redundancy – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor made redundant after her work on the Grenfell Tower disaster ended has won a claim for unfair dismissal because her law firm did not properly consider another role for her.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd January 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Humiliated Covid whistleblower says boss tried to ‘break’ her – BBC News

Posted December 5th, 2023 in coronavirus, doctors, employment tribunals, news, unfair dismissal, whistleblowers by sally

‘A senior doctor who won a record £3.2m payout says her boss tried to “break” her after she raised concerns about how Covid was being handled.’

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BBC News, 5th December 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lancashire teacher wins £800k over cancer discrimination – BBC News

‘An early years specialist who was told to reapply for her job while being treated for cancer before being sacked has been awarded an £800,000 pay-out.’

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BBC News, 7th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Disabled law firm director was unfairly dismissed, tribunal rules – Legal Futures

‘A disabled director of leading legal aid firm Duncan Lewis was unfairly dismissed over absences from work and his failure to report them, an employment tribunal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 31st October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Citibank wins case after sacking banker over two-sandwich lunch claim – BBC News

Posted October 17th, 2023 in employment tribunals, expenses, news, unfair dismissal by sally

‘Citibank has won an employment tribunal after sacking a worker for claiming expenses for sandwiches and coffee for his partner, and then lying about it.’

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BBC News, 16th October 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Solicitor dismissed over health problems awarded £1.1m damages – Legal Futures

Posted October 13th, 2023 in damages, employment, employment tribunals, health, news, solicitors, unfair dismissal by tracey

‘A solicitor whose career in company secretarial work was “thrown severely off course” after being sacked due to having asthma has been awarded damages of £1.1m.’

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Legal Futures, 13th October 2023

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Speech by Judge Barry Clarke: Discrimination in Employment/Industrial Courts – Courts and Tribunals Judiciary

Posted September 22nd, 2023 in courts, employment, equality, judges, news, tribunals, unfair dismissal by tracey

‘Speech by Judge Barry Clarke: Discrimination in Employment/Industrial Courts.’

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Courts and Tribunals Judiciary, 18th September 2023

Source: www.judiciary.uk

The importance of Reynolds in discrimination cases – 3PB

‘By this judgment, the EAT allowed an appeal against a finding that an employee’s dismissal was because of her pregnancy (contrary s.18 Equality Act 2010) on the ground that the ET had not considered Reynolds v CLFIS (UK) Ltd [2015] ICR 1010. Reynolds is no doubt familiar to experienced employment lawyers, it stands for the principle that, in a discrimination claim, the relevant decision maker must have been (at least significantly) influenced by a protected characteristic. A composite approach, bringing together the act of one individual with a discriminatory reason of another is not permitted.’

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3PB, 7th June 2023

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Dismissing for redundancy: making sure all other options are explored properly – 3PB

‘C was employed by the R as a live-in carer. The person for whom she cared went into hospital. Usually the R would have moved C to care for another individual. However, the effects of the pandemic were such that there was less opportunity to do so. C’s last day of work for the person for whom she cared was 8.2.20; she thereafter received no work, and no pay.’

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3PB, 5th June 2023

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Wheelchair tennis boss sacked for refusing Covid jab wins £27,000 payout – Daily Telegraph

‘A wheelchair tennis executive was sacked after she refused to get a Covid vaccine despite the Government ending nearly all restrictions at the time, a tribunal heard.’

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Daily Telegraph, 4th July 2023

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Woman who lost job after tweeting view on biological sex awarded £100,000 – The Guardian

‘A researcher who lost her job at a thinktank after tweeting that transgender women could not change their biological sex has been awarded more than £100,000 in compensation by an employment tribunal.’

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The Guardian, 1st July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

NHS whistleblowers need more protection, expert warns – BBC News

Posted July 3rd, 2023 in bullying, hospitals, inquiries, news, unfair dismissal, whistleblowers by tracey

‘Protections for NHS staff to speak out about wrongdoing may be insufficient to prevent another big scandal like that at the Mid Staffordshire hospital trust, an expert has told BBC News.’

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BBC News, 3rd July 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Employment and “protected beliefs”: Higgs v Farmor’s School – Law & Religion UK

‘In Higgs v Farmor’s School [2023] EAT 89, Mrs Higgs worked as a pastoral administrator and work experience manager at Farmor’s School. Complaints were received about Facebook posts that she had made about relationship education in primary schools: in particular, she re-posted someone else’s post, heading it, “PLEASE READ THIS! THEY ARE BRAINWASHING OUR CHILDREN!” [5]. She also re-posted similar material. She accepted that her posts might have been seen by parents of pupils at Farmor’s School, though she pointed out that she had not mentioned the school itself [9].
She was suspended and, after a disciplinary investigation and an appeal, dismissed [16 & 17]. She took the school to an Employment Tribunal, arguing that her dismissal amounted either to direct discrimination because of her protected beliefs or to harassment relating to them.’

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Law & Religion UK, 20th June 2023

Source: lawandreligionuk.com