New Minimum Wage Rates in 2017
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…
Actor in Cosmetic Treatment Tax Appeal Refused Anonymity
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…
Employers Must Be Proactive To Ensure Workers Get Proper Breaks
In an important test case concerning a bus driver who claimed to have been forced to work eight-hour shifts without a break, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has warned employers that they are required to take a proactive approach to…
Dismissal for Breach of Hygiene Rules Was Fair
In Donovan v Greggs plc, the Employment Tribunal (ET) ruled that the employer's decision to dismiss an experienced baker for failing to comply with its strict hygiene rules was fair. Bakery chain Greggs plc operated a strict policy on hand…
Whistleblowing Undercover Police Officers Win Right to Compensation
Workplace whistleblowers are protected by law and employers have to be extremely careful not to persecute them for their activities. In one case that proved the point, two police detectives who were removed from undercover duties after making complaints about…
Marriage Vow is Sacred – Teacher Wins Religious Discrimination Ruling
In an important decision which emphasised everyone’s right to pursue their religious convictions, a teacher who considered her marriage vow sacrosanct, and stood by her husband despite his conviction for sex offences, won the right to compensation after she was…
Bank Director – Age Discrimination Ruling
Redundancy is a potentially fair reason for dismissal, but it may be found to be unfair – for example if a particular employee is unfairly selected for redundancy. Conversely, where voluntary redundancy is on offer, employers must take care not…
Unfairly Treated At Work? Take Advice Today or Forfeit Your Rights!
If you believe that you have been unfairly treated by your employer, you should seek legal advice straight away or risk forfeiting your right to compensation. That point was vividly made in a case involving a supermarket manager who was…
Cars Leased to Employees are Income Tax Free, Court Rules
Although the way in which benefits of employment are taxed is relevant to millions, it is an intensely complex field which only a specialist can be expected to understand. One Court of Appeal case which proved that point involved a…
Employers – Workers’ Bonuses Must Be ‘Fair and Reasonable’
Employers often go to great lengths to ensure that they retain complete control over workers’ entitlements to bonuses. However, one important case has underlined that such discretions must be exercised reasonably and fairly and that even the most tightly drawn…