Category: equality

Council refused permission for appeal of tribunal order requiring it to publish redacted report – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 28th, 2024 in appeals, disclosure, diversity, equality, freedom of information, local government, London, news, tribunals by tracey

‘Havering Council has been refused permission to appeal a First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber) order that it publish a historic self-assessment peer review submitted as part of the Local Government Association’s Race Equality, Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion (READI) review.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th October 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Man who lost home to coastal erosion loses court case against UK government – The Guardian

Posted October 28th, 2024 in climate change, disability discrimination, disabled persons, environmental protection, equality, government departments, housing, human rights, news by tracey

‘An East Anglian man who lost his home to coastal erosion has lost his high court challenge against the government’s climate adaptation plans.’

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The Guardian, 25th October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

The price of discrimination: school ordered to pay £850,000 to an autistic teacher who it viewed as a ‘persistent complainer’ – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 23rd, 2024 in autism, complaints, disability discrimination, disabled persons, disciplinary procedures, employment, equality, local government, news, personal injuries, psychiatric damage, unfair dismissal by tracey

‘Jo Moseley considers the lessons schools and colleges can learn from a recent tribunal decision which involved an autistic teacher who was dismissed after making a number of complaints about various aspects of his employment over a three year period.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd October 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Veterans demand better payout for gay ban – BBC News

Posted October 23rd, 2024 in armed forces, compensation, equality, government departments, homosexuality, news, sexual orientation discrimination, victims by tracey

‘Veterans dismissed from the armed forces for being gay say the government is offering insufficient compensation. The total amount available has been capped at £50m and the National Audit Office says up to 4,000 are expected to be eligible, meaning an average payout of £12,500 each.’

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BBC News, 23rd October 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Unsuitable temporary accommodation and discrimination – Nearly Legal

Posted October 21st, 2024 in children, equality, families, homelessness, housing, judicial review, landlord & tenant, local government, London, news, sex discrimination, women by tracey

‘Begum, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Tower Hamlets (2024) EWHC 2279 (Admin) – Ms Begum had applied as homeless to Tower Hamlets in 2001. She was given temporary accommodation in a studio flat. 5 months later her first child was born. In June 2022, she complained about the suitability of the studio, which at that time was still s.188 accommodation. In October 2022, Tower Hamlets accepted the full duty. An internal memo recorded that Ms B had requested a transfer due to overcrowding. By March 2023, Ms B was pregnant with her second child, with a due date in September 2023. Between May and July 2023 there was correspondence between Ms B’s solicitors and Tower Hamlets on the suitability of the accommodation. The present claim was issued and interim relief ordered in August 2023. Three days later, Tower Hamlets made an offer of accommodation which Ms B accepted.’

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Nearly Legal, 20th October 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Equality Act assessors and open advice – Nearly Legal

Posted October 21st, 2024 in anti-social behaviour, appeals, disabled persons, equality, evidence, housing, landlord & tenant, litigation friends, news, repossession by tracey

‘Laidley v Metropolitan Housing Trust Limited (2024) EWHC 2611 (Ch). This was the joined hearing of two appeals from a possession claim on grounds of anti social behaviour. Mr Laidley had an assured tenancy from Metropolitan from 2009. There had been complaints of anti social behaviour and Metropolitan brought possession proceedings.’

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Nearly Legal, 20th October 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Bailiff who took emotional support dog on jobs loses discrimination case – The Guardian

Posted October 21st, 2024 in bailiffs, cancer, disability discrimination, disabled persons, dogs, employment, equality, mental health, Ministry of Justice, news by tracey

‘A bailiff who took her miniature Yorkshire terrier on debt collection jobs has lost her case for discrimination after being told she was not entitled to have an emotional support dog at work.’

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The Guardian, 18th October 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Anti-Zionism as a protected belief: final judgment in Miller v University of Bristol – Law & Religion UK

Posted October 17th, 2024 in disciplinary procedures, employment, employment tribunals, equality, freedom of expression, Israel, Judaism, news, unfair dismissal, universities by sally

‘In February, we posted Anti-Zionism as a protected belief: Miller, which commented on the case of Dr David Miller v University of Bristol [2024] ET 1400780/2022. Dr Miller had been appointed Professor of Political Sociology at the University from 1 September 2018, but 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”. The University appointed an independent barrister to investigate this as part of its internal complaints procedure, who concluded on 4 December 2020 that there was no formal case to answer in connection with any of the matters investigated.’

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Law & Religion UK, 16th October 2024

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

“Disruptive action” may be needed to improve diversity, LSB warns – Legal Futures

Posted October 15th, 2024 in barristers, bullying, diversity, equality, harassment, legal profession, Legal Services Board, news by tracey

‘Bullying and harassment is not limited to the Bar and “disruptive action” may be needed to create a “fair, healthy, diverse and inclusive legal profession”, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 15th October 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Homelessness, disability and reasonable preference under allocation schemes – Nearly Legal

Posted October 14th, 2024 in disability discrimination, disabled persons, equality, families, homelessness, housing, judicial review, local government, news by tracey

‘RR, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Enfield (2024) EWHC 2501 (Admin). This was a judicial review challenge to LB Enfield’s allocation policy for priority on the housing register, on the basis that it discrimated against disabled applicants who had the full housing duty under Part VII Housing Act 1996, who were also disabled.’

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Nearly Legal, 13th October 2024

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Employment Rights Bill to bring once-in-a-generation change for UK employers – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 11th, 2024 in bills, employment, equality, flexible working, industrial action, news, sick leave, trade unions, unfair dismissal by sally

‘The new Employment Rights Bill introduced by the UK government represents one of the most significant single items of employment legislation ever to be published, an expert has said.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th October 2024

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

High Court dismisses Judicial Review challenge to council housing allocation scheme – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 10th, 2024 in disability discrimination, equality, housing, human rights, judicial review, local government, London, news by sally

‘The High Court has dismissed a judicial review challenge to the London Borough of Enfield’s housing allocation scheme, after a claimant contended the scheme was unlawful both on a public law basis and that it breached the anti-discrimination provisions as set out in the ECHR and/or the Equality Act.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 9th October 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Gap between EDI policy and practice at law firms and in-house – Legal Futures

Posted October 3rd, 2024 in diversity, equality, law firms, news, reports by tracey

‘There remains a gap between policy and practice when it comes to diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) at both law firms and in-house legal departments, according to new research.’

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Legal Futures, 3rd October 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

New equality duty will not impact cab-rank rule, says BSB chief – Legal Futures

Posted September 27th, 2024 in barristers, consultations, diversity, equality, news by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) controversial proposal for new equality rules will not affect the cab-rank rule and will not lead to quotas, its director general said yesterday.’

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Legal Futures, 27th September 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Former justice minister urges opposition to planned BSB equality duty – Legal Futures

Posted September 26th, 2024 in barristers, diversity, equality, news by sally

‘Former justice minister Lord Wolfson KC has joined the voices opposing the Bar Standards Board’s (BSB) plan to impose a new positive duty on barristers to act in a way that “advances” equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).’

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Legal Futures, 26th September 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Time to remedy the legal consequences of Jivraj v Hashwani? The personal scope of application of equal treatment legislation – by Nicola Countouris and Colm O’Cinneide – UK Labour Law

Posted September 26th, 2024 in brexit, contract of employment, contracts, EC law, equality, news by sally

‘This blogpost revisits the 2011 UK Supreme Court decision in Jivraj v Hashwani [2011] UKSC 40, which adopted a narrow reading of the personal scope of the Equality Act 2010 as it applies to the self-employed. It argues that this decision represented a wrong turn in the law, which should now be reversed by the courts or corrected by the legislature – especially in light of the January 2023 Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) decision in Case C-356/21, TP v JK, and the stated commitment of the newly elected Labour government to “ensuring those [equality] provisions that were previously derived from EU law remain enshrined in UK law”.’

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UK Labour Law, 25th September 2024

Source: uklabourlawblog.com

Met Police officer committed ‘gross misconduct’ when holding Taser to Black boy’s neck – The Independent

Posted September 24th, 2024 in disciplinary procedures, diversity, equality, London, minorities, news, police, professional conduct, restraint, stop and search, weapons, young persons by tracey

‘A Metropolitan Police officer has been found to have committed gross misconduct after holding a Taser against a 16-year-old Black boy’s neck, the police watchdog has said.’

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The Independent, 23rd September 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Social worker awarded £55k and £8k costs after accusing council employer of discriminating against protected beliefs – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 20th, 2024 in compensation, costs, employment, employment tribunals, equality, freedom of expression, gender, local government, news, social services, transgender persons by sally

‘A social worker who worked for Cambridgeshire County Council has been awarded more than £55,000 in compensation and £8,000 in costs, after asserting that she was discriminated against for reasons relating to her gender critical beliefs and/or sexual orientation.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th September 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Regulators and lawyers “must do more” for learning disabled clients – Legal Futures

Posted September 19th, 2024 in disabled persons, equality, law firms, learning difficulties, news by sally

‘Legal regulators have been urged to develop a ‘disability-friendly’ quality mark for law firms, who in turn should hand out ‘easy read’ client information for those with learning disabilities.’

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Legal Futures, 19th September 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Tribunal rejects barrister’s bid to have ‘boys’ club’ disciplinary case thrown out – The Guardian

Posted September 19th, 2024 in barristers, bias, disciplinary procedures, equality, freedom of expression, judges, news, professional conduct, sex discrimination by sally

‘A tribunal has rejected a barrister’s request for it to throw out disciplinary proceedings brought against her for saying a judge had shown a “boys’ club attitude”, but it ruled that she can argue that the regulator discriminated against her because she is a woman.’

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The Guardian, 18th September 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com