Employment law cases in the news – 04.05.2015 to 10.05.2015

redmans-blog-newsIn the latest of our series of posts on employment law cases in the news, we take a look at ten employment law cases that have made the news between 4 May and 10 May 2015

  1. Flawed redundancy consultation with BT staff – An employment tribunal has awarded compensation to the former employees of a BT subsidiary for the failure to carry out proper redundancy consultation when their site closed. Stephen Simpson rounds up employment tribunal decisions reported in the past week (Personnel Today)
  2. Court of Appeal to hear Judicial Review of unfair dismissal compensation cap – Compromise Agreements Ltd instigated a Judicial Review against the Government’s decision to introduce a statutory cap of 52 weeks’ pay for unfair dismissal compensation, i.e. it is the lower of 52 weeks’ gross pay or the statutory maximum cap in force at the time (currently £78,335) (The HR Director)
  3. ‘He’s just a P***’: Firearms cop who guarded Tony Blair claims ‘racist’ superiors wanted him out of unit – A firearms officer who guarded the Royal family claims his ‘racist’ superiors wanted him out of the unit, saying “he is just a P**i”. Pc Nadeem Saddique also said he found out an inspector had referred to him as a “black c***”. His employer denies the comments were made (The Mirror)
  4. Police will not challenge race discrimination ruling – Wiltshire Police have confirmed that they will not appeal against a decision by an employment tribunal which found they had racially discriminated a black police officer. A decision earlier this month found that PC Ronnie Lungu had been turned down for promotion due to the colour of his skin (The Salisbury Journal)
  5. Staffordshire waste firm fined after worker suffered life changing injuries in fall – Waste and recycling services company Veolia ES Staffordshire Ltd (part of Veoila UK group) have been prosecuted after a worker suffered life changing injuries when he fell more than 8 feet from height (HSE)
  6. British Airways engineer wins £25,000 for constructive dismissal – An aircraft engineer has been awarded almost £25,000 after winning his case for constructive dismissal against British Airways. John Higgins, from High Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, was sacked after installing the wrong part on a plane at British Airways Maintenance Glasgow (BAMG) last March (Herald Scotland)
  7. Millionaire businessman wins gagging order over alleged sex parties – A multi-millionaire businessman has won a permanent ban on a former friend and business colleague from exposing details of alleged sex and drugs parties. The former associate tried to blackmail the man, the chief executive officer of a substantial group of companies, after he was accused of misappropriating company funds (The Telegraph)
  8. Prison guard wins unfair dismissal case over dinner row – A prison officer who was sacked for allegedly grabbing the neck of an inmate who was demanding second dinner helpings has won his case for unfair dismissal. Ross Callachan, a former guard at HMP Glenochil in Clackmannanshire, has been awarded almost £7,000 by an employment tribunal after bosses accused him of seizing the prisoner when he became aggressive in the middle of food service (Herald Scotland)
  9. Food company fined £170,000 after worker electrocuted – A fresh produce manufacturing company has been fined £170,000 after a worker was killed after coming into contact with a live 240V electrical cable. Chichester Crown Court was told that, Bradley Watts, a 21 year old sub-contractor, was lagging pipes in the loft space of Natures Ways Foods premises in Chichester, on 2 June 2011. He came into contact with a 240V live electrical cable and was electrocuted. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the ambulance crew (HSE)
  10. Fresh twist in whistleblower Kevin Beatt’s legal battle as Croydon NHS trust wins right to appeal unfair dismissal ruling – The NHS trust that runs Croydon University Hospital has won the right to appeal a damning judgment on its sacking of a whistleblower doctor, in a fresh twist in a protracted three-year legal battle (The Croydon Guardian)