Employers warned against demanding Facebook details from staff – The Guardian

Posted March 27th, 2012 in data protection, employment, news, privacy by sally

“The Information Commissioner’s Office has warned employers in the UK that it would have ‘very serious concerns’ if they were to ask for Facebook login and password details from existing or would-be employees, following reports of such demands in the US.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Employment: ECJ Considers Definition of “Workers” – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted March 19th, 2012 in EC law, employment, judiciary, news, part-time work, pensions by sally

“Morayo Fagborun Bennett says the European Court of Justice’s (ECJ) decision in O’Brien v Ministry of Justice ‘sweeps away’ many of the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) justifications for distinguishing between part-time and full-time judges. ‘The MoJ is going to have to think hard how it handles the case when it comes back to the Supreme Court,’ she says. ‘It doesn’t lend itself to any easy settlement and there are thousands eagerly awaiting the outcome.'”

Full story

Hardwick Chambers, 14th March 2012

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

Violent clients, traumatised victims, late payment – the life of a court interpreter – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2012 in courts, demonstrations, employment, interpreters, news by sally

“Very few people know what the job of a professional court interpreter involves. ALS is trying to get it done on the cheap.”

Full story

The Guardian, 15th March 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government seeks views on dismissal rules – Department for Business Innovation and Skills

Posted March 16th, 2012 in consultations, dismissal, employment, press releases by sally

“Proposals to examine the current dismissal process have been announced by the Government today with the publication of a Call for Evidence. Ministers are to seek the views of employers and employees, and gather evidence from interested parties, on whether current dismissal procedures are too onerous, too complex and whether or not there is a lack of understanding in their application.”

Full press release

Department for Business Innovation and Skills, 15th March 2012

Source: www.bis.gov.uk

 

Woman loses breakdown damages claim – The Independent

Posted March 13th, 2012 in bullying, damages, employment, harassment, mental health, news by sally

“A woman lost her £1 million damages action today [12 March] over a catastrophic breakdown which she claimed was caused by a work colleague set on destroying her.”

Full story

The Independent, 12th March 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Christians have no right to wear cross at work, says Government – Daily Telegraph

“Christians do not have a right to wear a cross or crucifix openly at work, the Government is to argue in a landmark court case.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 10th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

O’Brien v Ministry of Justice – WLR Daily

O’Brien v Ministry of Justice (Case C-393/10); [2012] WLR (D) 58

“It was for the member states to define the concept of ‘workers who have an employment contract or an employment relationship’ within the meaning of clause 2.1 of the Framework Agreement on part-time work, provided that this did not lead to arbitrary exclusion from protection offered by Directive 97/81/EC.”

WLR Daily, 1st March 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

New report published on age and employment – Cloisters

Posted March 6th, 2012 in age discrimination, EC law, employment, news, reports by sally

“A new thematic report from the European Network of Legal Experts in the non-discrimination field, titled ‘Age and Employment’ is now available.”

Full story

Cloisters, 22nd February 2012

Source: www.cloisters.com

Attracting the brightest and best migrant workers – Home Office

Posted March 1st, 2012 in employment, immigration, press releases, visas by sally

“Tougher rules for migrant workers on temporary work visas will mean only the brightest and best can apply to settle in the UK. Immigration Minister Damian Green today announced new settlement rules that will break the link between migrants coming here to work and staying forever. The amount of time they can stay will now be capped at six years to prevent temporary work routes being abused.”

Full press release

Home Office, 29th February 2012

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Groups of employees must act on behalf of a particular client to be protected by TUPE, tribunal rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 28th, 2012 in appeals, employment, employment tribunals, news, transfer of undertakings by sally

“The Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) held that in order to be considered an ‘organised grouping of employees’  under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE), workers with the Eddie Stobart haulage company had to be organised according to the requirements of the client. It was not enough that, although the workers principally carried out activities on behalf of that client, they were organised according to their shifts.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 27th February 2012

Source: www.out-law.com

Uncommon Remedies – Cloisters

Posted February 23rd, 2012 in damages, employment, news, Supreme Court by sally

“The Supreme Court decision refusing a dismissed employee compensation for the way he was sacked provides a further prompt to review the interaction of employment legislation with common law remedies, says Catriona Stirling.”

Full story (PDF)

Cloisters, February 2012

Source: www.cloisters.com

Caterpillar Logistics Service (UK) Ltd v de Crean – WLR Daily

Posted February 23rd, 2012 in appeals, confidentiality, employment, injunctions, law reports by sally

Caterpillar Logistics Service (UK) Ltd v de Crean [2012] EWCA Civ 156; [2012] WLR (D) 40

“The court had power under section 37 of the Senior Courts Act 1981 to grant barring-out relief, but if it could ever be granted to an employer against an employee it could only be in the most exceptional circumstances.”

WLR Daily, 21st February 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Kenneth Clarke to ‘wipe slate clean’ for hundreds of thousands of ex-offenders – The Guardian

Posted February 3rd, 2012 in criminal records, employment, news, rehabilitation by sally

“The justice secretary, Kenneth Clarke, is to ‘wipe the slate clean’ for hundreds of thousands of offenders by dramatically shortening the period during which they are obliged to tell potential employers about their criminal past.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd February 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Wokuri v Kassam – WLR Daily

Posted February 1st, 2012 in conflict of laws, diplomats, employment, immunity, law reports, news by sally

Wokuri v Kassam [2012] EWHC 105 (Ch); [2012] WLR (D) 13

“A diplomatic agent who had left a mission continued to enjoy immunity in respect of acts performed by him or her in the exercise of his or her functions as a member of that mission within the meaning of article 39(2) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) as scheduled to the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964. The residual immunity under article 39(2) was, however, less extensive than that enjoyed by a serving diplomat. The former diplomat would not necessarily have immunity in relation to claims by employees carrying out domestic duties.”

WLR Daily, 30th January 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Care Quality Commission puts gagging orders on six employees – The Guardian

“A health watchdog with responsibility for protecting NHS whistleblowers has asked at least six employees to sign confidentiality agreements that stop them from criticising the organisation publicly.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Royal Mail faces wave of employment tribunals over delayed Christmas pay – The Guardian

Posted January 23rd, 2012 in casual workers, employment, news, remuneration, tribunals by sally

“Royal Mail could be facing a wave of employment tribunal claims from temporary sorting office workers who say they have been subjected to serious delays and miscalculations in their pay packets over Christmas and the new year.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd January 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New rules enable schools to dismiss incompetent teachers: the legal issues – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted January 18th, 2012 in dismissal, employment, news, teachers, tribunals by sally

“According to last weeks’ press coverage, schools are to be given new powers to weed out incompetent teachers and enforce ‘rigorous’ standards to ensure performance is maintained. However, behind the headlines these proposals may be less far reaching in practice than they at first appear.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 18th January 2012

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Strategy to drive out transgender prejudice – Home Office

“Tougher sentences for hate crimes, support for transgender pupils in schools, and tailored recruitment advice for businesses are just some of the actions in the first transgender equality plan launched by the government today.”

Full press release

Home Office, 8th December 2011

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Andy Coulson sues News Group over refusal to pay phone hacking legal fees – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 8th, 2011 in contract of employment, employment, fees, media, news by sally

“Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor, took his ex-employer News Group Newspapers to the High Court today over its refusal to reimburse his legal fees arising from the phone-hacking affair.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 7th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pensions ‘bribes’ crackdown in place by next summer – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 6th, 2011 in codes of practice, employment, news, pensions by sally

“New rules cracking down on companies who ‘bribe’ staff approaching retirement age into taking cash payments in exchange for lower pension payouts will be in place by next summer, the Pensions Minister will say today.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th December 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk