The government is set to increase fines for employers who fail to pay their employees the National Minimum Wage (NMW). Currently businesses can be ordered to reimburse workers who have received less than the minimum wage. They can also be fined 50% of the total amount of underpayment for all their employees, up to a
Settlement Agreements and Protected Conversations – Tuesday 11th 7.45-9.30am, Putteridgebury Conference Centre, Hitchin Road, Luton Ending the employment relationship is never easy. The Government’s introduction of new laws on settlement agreements and pre-termination discussions is to make it easier to end the employment relationship consensually (and amicably) by allowing businesses and employees to have a
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A publishing company has been granted an injunction preventing former employees from using its confidential information including its customer databases. The issue arose when three of the company’s senior employees resigned to set up a rival business. The company suspected that the employees had set up their new enterprise before resigning. It then alleged that
The new National Minimum Wage (NMW) came into effect on 1 October. These are the main changes: The adult rate increases by 12p to £6.31 an hour The rate for 18-20 year olds increases by 5p to £5.03 an hour The rate for 16-17 year olds increases by 4p to £3.72 an hour The apprentice
A pub manager has been awarded compensation for the depression she suffered after being unfairly dismissed. The case involved a husband and wife who were employed together to manage a large pub. They lived on the premises with their four children. They worked there for just over a year when the employer became dissatisfied with
An employment tribunal has held that overtime payments should count when calculating holiday pay as long as the extra hours are “intrinsically linked” to the employee’s overall work and duties. The judgment brings the UK closer to EU law in relation to the Working Time Regulations. The employee at the centre of the case, Mr
A black driver has been awarded £27,000 compensation after he became upset at hearing a colleague being called racist nicknames. Roy Morgan worked for a fruit and veg wholesale company inGloucester. He was not subjected to direct racism himself but often heard his colleague, Brian Ennis, referred to by other workers as ‘golliwog Brian’ and
TUPE regulations protect the interests of employees when their employment is transferred from one organisation to another. But to what extent should the new employer be bound by future national, collective pay agreements over which it has no control or influence? The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has decided that it would
A woman has been awarded £15,250 compensation after hot tea was spilt on her in a restaurant. The 21-year-old Chinese university student had visited the restaurant with some of her classmates. A waiter was carrying a tray of hot tea when he was knocked by another member of staff. Some of the tea spilt on