The dividing line between ‘workers’ and ‘employees’ can be very difficult to discern, but is of the greatest significance. That was certainly so in the case of one man who worked for a charity for years without any form of…
Unlawful deductions from wages may not seem a strong enough phrase to describe one case in which an employee was not paid anything at all for seven years’ work. Employment law is well equipped to put right such injustices, however,…
The Supreme Court has urged employers to modify provisions, criteria or practices (PCPs) that disadvantage protected minority groups – even if no reason can be discerned for their discriminatory impact. The Court made its comments in ruling upon indirect discrimination…
Long-term sick leave can be a headache for employers, but it is absolutely vital that workers are given every opportunity to get better and return to work. In one case that proved the point, a teacher who was off work…
The following changes to the National Living Wage (NLW) and the National Minimum Wage (NMW) came into effect on 1 April 2017: The NLW for those aged 25 and over increased from £7.20 per hour to £7.50 per hour; The…
On 6 April 2017, the way in which apprenticeships in England are funded changed. Some employers are required to pay a new apprenticeship levy, and there will be changes to the funding for apprenticeship training for all employers. The levy…
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are obliged to keep individuals’ tax affairs secret - but confidentiality generally does not survive an appeal. Exactly that happened in one case in which well-known actor Martin Clunes sought to set off the cost…
All workplace disciplinary investigations must be fair, but even greater vigilance is needed where alleged misconduct is very serious and credibility is in issue. The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) made that point in boosting the compensation hopes of a care…
Many medical conditions amount to disabilities for the purposes of employment law, but matters can become more complicated when the combined effect of more than one condition is considered. The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) tackled that issue in the case…
When losing parties read an Employment Tribunal (ET) decision, fairness demands that it should be clear to them exactly why they have failed. In one case where that did not happen, a maritime armed guard who was sacked after failing…