A brief update: COVID-19 related workplace disputes in Employment Tribunal – Parklane Plowden Chambers

‘As anticipated the start of 2021 has shown an increase in COVID-19 related claims being heard at employment tribunals. What type of claims have been heard so far and what should we expect to see more of?’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 1st March 2021

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk

Priti Patel bullying case dropped after civil servant receives undisclosed settlement – The Independent

‘Home secretary Priti Patel is coming under intense pressure to reveal how much taxpayers’ money was spent on settling a bullying claim from her former top civil servant, who dropped an employment tribunal case after receiving a sum believed to run into six figures.’

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The Independent, 4th March 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

A crucial and long-needed step against the devaluation of domestic work: ‘family worker’ exemption dis-applied in Puthenveettil v Alexander & ors – by Natalie Sedacca – UK Labour Law

‘On 15 December 2020, the London South Employment Tribunal gave its judgment in a claim brought by a domestic worker, Ms Kamalammal P K Puthenveettil, challenging her exemption from payment of the national minimum wage on the basis of the “family worker” exemption. The Employment Tribunal (‘ET’) accepted the Claimant’s argument that this exemption, stemming from the “family worker” exemption, was unlawful and indirectly discriminatory on the basis of sex. This exemption has meant that some live-in domestic workers – part of an overwhelmingly female and largely ethnic minority and / or migrant workforce – have been at worst denied payment of the national minimum wage (‘NMW’), and in other cases lacked clarity about their entitlement to this very basic right. After outlining the background to Puthenveettil, this post will explain the family worker exemption and its (mis-)application to some live-in domestic workers. It will then analyse the judgment in Puthenveettil, its significance in questioning the devaluation of domestic work, and the limitations of the legal framework for domestic workers in the UK.’

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UK Labour Law, 1st March 2021

Source: uklabourlawblog.com

Uber drivers “set for £12k awards” after Supreme Court ruling – Litigation Futures

‘Tens of thousands of Uber drivers could be entitled to £12,000 in compensation, lawyers said today after the Supreme Court ruled they should be classed as workers.’

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Litigation futures, 19th February 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Training – Pump Court Chambers

‘The Employment Appeal Tribunal has recently prescribed annual booster / refresher training for employers on Equality and Diversity in order to ensure that it is effective in eliminating harassment in the workplace.’

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Pump Court Chambers, 17th February 2021

Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com

Actor loses tribunal claim over loss of Color Purple role after homophobic comments – The Guardian

‘An actor who sued a theatre and her former agents after she was sacked when a Facebook post resurfaced has had her claim for religious discrimination, harassment and breach of contract rejected at an employment tribunal.’

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The Guardian, 17th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Employment Law Case Update – St John’s Buildings

Posted February 11th, 2021 in chambers articles, employment, employment tribunals, news by sally

‘2020 saw the Employment Tribunal and higher courts give out fewer judgments due to the pandemic. However, all was not lost and there were still some key judgments shaping the employment sphere and that will no doubt be of interest to lawyers and HR professionals alike.’

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St John's Buildings, 8th February 2021

Source: stjohnsbuildings.com

Irwell v Watson: tribunals as a one stop shop – by John Bowers QC – Littleton Chambers

Posted February 11th, 2021 in chambers articles, employment tribunals, insurance, news, third parties by sally

‘Employment tribunals were intended when first introduced in 1963 to be easily accessible, simple, and straightforward but have gradually taken on more of the appearance of courts. There was a somewhat naive belief in the beginning that justice in such tribunals could be achieved without the parties needing lawyers. The presiding officer was called a chair but is now a judge. And tribunals of course now deal with cases of great complexity, recondite legal areas and with millions at stake. A continuing fundamental difference from a court, however, is that the tribunal has no inherent jurisdiction but only what the dizzying array of statutes provide them.’

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Littleton Chambers, 5th February 2021

Source: littletonchambers.com

The One Thing Every Business Needs From Its Employment Lawyer This Year – Littleton Chambers

‘As legal advisers our job starts long before the court room and it is where we do our most valuable work. A world in which people don’t experience discrimination is a world in which no discrimination claims are brought and a world in which considerable time, stress, cost etc. is saved. Ok, it is also a world in which our litigation practice suffers but let’s be honest, we are a long way from that world and we could get considerably closer to it without worrying too much about having to rethink our career choices.’

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Littleton Chambers, 8th February 2021

Source: littletonchambers.com

A statutory defence for discrimination: s.109(4) Equality Act 2010 Allay (UK) Limited v Gehlen – 3PB

Posted February 11th, 2021 in chambers articles, employment tribunals, equality, news, race discrimination by sally

‘S.109(4) EA 2010 provides a statutory defence for an employer when discrimination has been found if they took “all reasonable steps” to prevent that or similar discrimination. It is a rarely used defence and it is even more rare to have an appellate case providing guidance, but Allay (UK) Limited v Gehlen [2021] UKEAT 0031_20_0402 (Unreported, 4 February 2021) clarifies what is meant by “all reasonable steps”, exploring permissible and impermissible considerations to meet the high threshold set by s.109.’

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3PB, 9th February 2021

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Tribunal reduces damages awarded against sweary senior partner – Legal Futures

Posted February 11th, 2021 in damages, employment tribunals, harassment, law firms, news, paralegals by sally

‘An employment tribunal ordered to reconsider the damages it awarded to a paralegal subjected to foul-mouthed tirades by the senior partner of a London law firm has reduced them by 20%.’

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Legal Futures, 11th February 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Employment Tribunals: Interim Relief and the Equality Act 2010 – Littleton Chambers

‘Joseph Bryan discusses Steer v Stormsure Ltd, in which the Employment Appeal Tribunal has raised the prospect of an amendment to the law to permit claimants in proceedings under the Equality Act 2010 to seek interim relief.’

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Littleton Chambers, 14th January 2021

Source: littletonchambers.com

Tribunal rejects law firm’s second challenge to age discrimination ruling – Legal Futures

Posted January 14th, 2021 in age discrimination, employment tribunals, law firms, news, solicitors by tracey

‘An employment judge has refused a second application from a law firm to reconsider his decision to award an experienced property solicitor damages of £13,200 for age discrimination when he applied for a job with it.’

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Legal Futures, 14th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Work Rights in the Nursery: Au pairs entitled to the NMW (but in respect of which hours?) – Littleton Chambers

Posted January 12th, 2021 in EC law, employment tribunals, equal pay, minimum wage, news, women, working time by sally

‘The employment tribunal has disapplied the “family worker” exemption, in effect holding that au pairs and other domestic workers who live in the home are entitled to the protections of the National Minimum Wage (“NMW”) regime. If this tribunal decision stands, it gives rise to another significant question: which hours should count towards the NMW for domestic workers?’

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Littleton Chambers, 4th January 2021

Source: littletonchambers.com

Tribunal finds law firm unfairly dismissed paralegal – Legal Futures

‘A law firm dismissed a paralegal because he was close to his supervisor, with whom it was in dispute, rather than due to the allegations levied against him, an employment tribunal has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 11th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

LEI does not have to fund appeals during “unmeritorious claims” – Litigation Futures

‘Legal expenses insurance (LEI) does not have to fund interlocutory appeals that are likely to succeed as part of claims that overall are predicted to fail, the High Court has ruled.’

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Litigation Futures, 5th January 2021

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

Changes to ACAS Early Conciliation – Cloisters

Posted December 4th, 2020 in chambers articles, employment, employment tribunals, news, time limits by sally

‘Nathaniel Caiden considers the recent changes being made to ACAS Early Conciliation and their practical effects.’

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Cloisters, 1st December 2020

Source: www.cloisters.com

Sacked Treasury adviser settles unfair dismissal claim – BBC News

‘A special advisor who was escorted out of Downing Street by police after a confrontation with Dominic Cummings has settled her unfair dismissal claim.’

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BBC News, 13th November 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Does the failure to place a redundant employee on an existing “bank” workers list render a dismissal unfair? – 3PB

‘It was common ground between the parties that the claimant had been dismissed for a fair reason, namely redundancy. The point of contention arose from the fact that, at point of dismissal, the respondent had in place a list of workers upon whom it would call upon to
undertake adhoc work as and when needed.’

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3PB, 2nd October 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Disability, Delusions and Definitions – Parklane Plowden

‘Employees that suffer from a disability so defined are protected against various forms of discrimination because of that status. Employers facing claims of such discrimination must assess whether a Tribunal will find that the employee was in fact, during the relevant period, disabled and, if so, whether it knew or reasonably ought to have known of that fact. It is common for employers to concede the fact of disability.’

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Parklane Plowden Chambers, 4th November 2020

Source: www.parklaneplowden.co.uk