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Employees are advised to think carefully about the wording used when writing a grievance to their employer, after the Employment Appeal Tribunal held that an employee’s allegations in her written grievance that the employer’s conduct “may amount to discrimination” would not constitute a protected act under the Equality Act 2010. The employee in question was
In an employment relationship, the identity of the employer is usually very clear; however, where an employee works for a group of companies, it can sometimes be trickier to identify which of the group companies is the true employer. This can sometimes cause issues, particularly from a tax perspective, when it comes to identifying where
I remember grappling with this question in my third year of university when I was knee-deep in training contract research and applications. Was I better suited to a regional firm or a city firm? Would I still have exposure to big corporate transactions or litigation at a regional firm? Would I be working in a
In recent months separated parents have found themselves in unprecedented times trying to navigate child arrangements whilst complying with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. In March 2019 the President of the Family Court, Sir Andrew McFarlane, made it clear that where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their
In the recent case of Kathryn Hopkins v The Commissioners for her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) [2020], an employee was arrested by the police for serious criminal offences including a serious sexual offence. She disclosed the fact to her employer and was immediately suspended on full pay pending disciplinary proceedings for possible gross misconduct, with
A businessman who misappropriated large sums of money from his company has been ordered to refund more than £5 million to his former partner. The case involved Ashank Patel and Mohammad Babar Iqbal, who had been partners in a property development business. After some of the projects suffered delays due to cashflow problems, Patel discovered
Transport for London (TFL) has successfully defended a disability discrimination claim that hinged on the interpretation of employment law. The case involved Mr Charles Ishola, who had been employed by TFL for almost eight years. He was disabled, suffering from depression and migraines. The discrimination issue arose after he complained about a fellow-employee’s conduct. An
Athena Brands has won a contract dispute with Superdrug Stores over the supply of various cosmetic products. Athena claimed that it had entered into a binding agreement with Superdrug in an exchange of emails with one of its employees. In the course of the email exchange, Athena had asked the employee to confirm that he
An estate agent has won his claim to be paid commission after finding a buyer for several flats, even though he didn’t have a written contract with the seller. The case, that went all the way to the Supreme Court, involved the agent and a developer who was trying to sell several newly built properties.
A pharmaceutical company was within its rights to dismiss an employee who failed to complete mandatory online training courses. That was the decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal in a recent case involving a medical sales rep Mr Barongo. who was employed by Quintiles Commercial UK. In January 2016, Mr Barongo was dismissed for failing