Case Comment: R (DA & Ors) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2019] UKSC 21 Part Two – UKSC Blog

Posted July 8th, 2019 in appeals, benefits, equality, families, human rights, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘In order to make good an art 14 claim, a claimant has to establish that (a) the Jones_Jcircumstances fall within the ambit of a substantive Convention right, (b) the claimant has a relevant status for the purposes of art 14, (c) they have been treated differently from others in a similar situation, by reason of their status; if so the burden is then on the state to demonstrate (d) whether the difference in treatment is objectively justified. In a Thlimmenos claim, the third question becomes “they have been treated the same as others in a relevantly different situation”. The way in which those issues were resolved by Lord Wilson for the majority is summarised above, but the court’s analysis of status and justification is worth some closer consideration.’

Full Story

UKSC Blog, 2nd July 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

Case Comment: R (DA & Ors) v Secretary of State for Work & Pensions [2019] UKSC 21 Part One – UKSC Blog

Posted July 8th, 2019 in appeals, benefits, equality, families, human rights, news, Supreme Court by sally

‘In these joined appeals, the Supreme Court considered whether the “revised benefit Jones_Jcap” – the effect of which is to restrict the maximum amount of benefits payable to couples and lone parents to £23000 in London and £20000 elsewhere – discriminated against the lone parents of young children, and against the children themselves. The Supreme Court decided by a majority of 5-2 that it did not, though there were various differences of opinion even amongst the majority.’

Full Story

UKSC Blog, 2nd July 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

White students still way out ahead in race for pupillages – Legal Futures

‘White students are significantly more likely to obtain pupillage than those from BAME backgrounds, with the gap widest among those who have not achieved the highest results, new figures have shown.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 4th July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Government ensures paper-based access to online courts – Legal Futures

Posted July 4th, 2019 in bills, courts, electronic filing, equality, internet, news by sally

‘The Courts and Tribunals (Online Procedure) Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons yesterday after the government added further protection for those unable or willing to use online processes.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 4th July 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Boxing beard ban is discrimination, says Sikh amateur fighter – BBC News

Posted July 2nd, 2019 in equality, health & safety, news, religious discrimination, Sikhism, sport by sally

‘A ruling that amateur fighters in Wales must be clean shaven is discriminatory, a Sikh boxer has said.’

Full Story

BBC News, 2nd July 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal rejects challenge to lawfulness of discriminatory allocation of housing on ground of religion – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal against a Divisional Court ruling that a charitable housing association’s arrangements for allocating housing, which amount to direct discrimination on the ground of religion, were lawful.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 27th June 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

‘Councils Cannot Blame Funding For Special Educational Needs Failures’, High Court Told – Rights Info

‘A lack of funding gives councils “no excuse” for failing to meet their legal duty to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), a court has heard.’

Full Story

Rights Info, 27th June 2019

Source: rightsinfo.org

JusticeWatch: Growing ‘justice gap’ in discrimination cases – Legal Voice

‘Victims of discrimination were being denied access to justice and offenders going unchallenged as a result of a ‘failing’ legal aid system, as reported in the Justice Gap.’

Full Story

Legal Voice, 21st June 2019

Source: legalvoice.org.uk

Legal profession launches pledge to achieve gender equality – Legal Futures

Posted June 21st, 2019 in equality, gender, legal profession, news by tracey

‘Solicitors, barristers and chartered legal executives have launched a pledge to “achieve gender equality in senior ranks of the profession”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 20th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Women lawyers face uphill struggle on fees and salaries – Legal Futures

Posted June 19th, 2019 in bias, equality, fees, legal profession, news, remuneration, reports, women by tracey

‘Some clients expect discounts on fees for using a female lawyer while women who push for higher salaries are likely to be labelled “aggressive”, a global survey by the Law Society has found. The report concluded that quotas could help to tackle inequality as there was “no real equality or meritocracy in the legal profession”.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 19th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Victims of discrimination ‘denied justice’ as legal aid cuts create ‘David vs Goliath’ scenario, report finds – The Independent

‘Victims of discrimination in England and Wales are being denied justice due to soaring legal aid cuts, the equalities watchdog has warned. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said people who had been discriminated against for reasons such as their race, gender or disability were being left to represent themselves in court, creating a “David vs Goliath” scenario or letting perpetrators to go entirely unchallenged.’

Full Story

The Independent, 19th June 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

LGBT relationships and the school curriculum: a human rights analysis – UK Human Rights Blog

‘What is the scope of a school’s duty to accommodate the religion of a parent whose children attend its schools? From September 2020, it will become mandatory for “relationship education” which includes lessons about LGBT relationships to be taught in English primary schools under the Children and Social Work Act 2017. According to a petition by Muslim parents in Birmingham, however, such teaching contradicts the Islamic faith, thereby violating their freedom of religion.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 4th June 2019

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Panel urges regulation of algorithms used in criminal justice system – Legal Futures

‘A year-long study of the use of computer algorithms in the criminal justice system has recommended creating a national register to bring openness, expose built-in biases, and ensure public trust.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 5th June 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Possession and the PSED (again) – Nearly Legal

‘London and Quadrant HR v Patrick [2019] EWHC 1263 (QB) follows hard on the footsteps of Powell v Dacorum BC [2019] EWCA Civ 29 and Forward v Aldwyck Housing Group Ltd [2019] EWHC 24 (QB) (our note here), with Turner J making some fairly caustic observations about the use of the public sector equality duty in possession cases. He ended his substantive judgment with the observation that, “I note that the decision in Forward is under appeal to the Court of Appeal. It is to be hoped that, whatever the outcome, such guidance as may be given will significantly reduce the risk that, in future, possession applications are subject to protracted delays and uncertainty which are highly prejudicial to all of those affected”.’

Full Story

Nearly Legal, 28th May 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Not discrimination to pay male officers less for shared parental leave than female officers on maternity leave – UK Police Law Blog

‘The Court of Appeal in (1) Capita Customer Management Ltd v Ali & (2) Chief Constable of Leicestershire v Hextall [2019] EWCA Civ 900, has overturned the Employment Appeal Tribunal and held that employees do not unlawfully discriminate against men when when paying them less for shared parental leave than they pay women when taking enhanced maternity pay as part of maternity leave. Such claims are not sex discrimination claims but equal terms claims, to be brought under the Equal Pay Act 1970, which are bound to fail because they relate to terms of work affording special treatment to woman in connection with pregnancy of childbirth. An appeal to the Supreme Court is possible.’

Full Story

UK Police Law Blog, 29th May 2019

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

Report calls for end to “macho culture” of chambers – Legal Futures

Posted May 30th, 2019 in barristers, diversity, equality, gender, news, statistics, women by tracey

‘The “macho culture that can pervade chambers” must go if the Bar is to improve its gender balance, a report by a specialist discrimination law firm run by a QC has concluded.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 30th May 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Equality body launches investigation of Labour antisemitism claims – The Guardian

‘Labour has been placed under formal investigation by the equalities watchdog over whether the party has unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it was launching an official inquiry under section 20 of the Equality Act 2006 after carrying out preliminary investigations since March.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 28th May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Trans women given formal access to Hampstead Heath pond – The Guardian

Posted May 24th, 2019 in equality, gender, news, sex discrimination, transgender persons, women by tracey

‘Transgender women have had their right to use Hampstead Heath ponds formalised in a new policy. The City of London Corporation (CoLC), which manages Hampstead Heath and its ponds, announced that it had adopted a new gender identity policy to make sure services in the area “are fully compliant with the Equality Act 2010, and do not discriminate against trans people”.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 23rd May 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Oxbridge can force old professors to retire in order to boost diversity, tribunal ruling suggests – Daily Telegraph

‘Oxford and Cambridge universities can force old professors to retire in order to boost diversity, a tribunal ruling suggests.’

Full Story

Daily Telegraph, 22nd May 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Maternity rights bill could make things worse, campaigner says – BBC News

‘A bill which aims to protect women’s jobs when they return to work after giving birth will have little impact, a pregnancy rights campaigner says.’

Full Story

BBC News, 22nd May 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk