Employment law cases in the news – 16.03.2015 to 22.03.2015

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 16 March and 22 March 2015.

  1. Company sentenced after worker loses fingers – A leading international aluminium fabricator has been fined after a worker severed two fingers when his left hand was trapped in the loading clamps of an aluminium metal extrusion machine (HSE)
  2. Union wins unfair dismissal case against former Froghall company – Former workers at a copper factory have won their case for unfair dismissal. Now around 100 staff are set to receive 90 days of additional pay after the GMB Union took their case to a tribunal. Long established Froghall-based copper manufacturer Thomas Bolton Ltd, pictured, went into administration last March. Now the GMB Union has confirmed that they have now won the workers unfair dismissal case – meaning each employee could receive more than £5,000 (Leek News)
  3. Skipper jailed for failings that lead to death of diver – Guthrie Melville, the skipper of the boat ‘Solstice’, has been sentenced to nine month imprisonment today at Stirling Sheriff Court for health and safety regulatory failings that lead to the tragic death of James Irvine in Largo Bay, Leven (COPFS)
  4. Mum launches pregnancy discrimination plea – A factory worker from Hereford says her bosses didn’t stop her using noxious glue while pregnant even though the substance may be harmful to unborn children. Expectant mother Tetyana Kyryk told the Hereford Times she believes her baby’s health problems, which included young Lucas requiring open heart surgery at 11-days-old, were a result of the exposure while working at a local factory (Hereford Times)
  5. Sacked Bristol First Bus driver wins cocaine test case – A bus driver sacked when he tested positive for cocaine, said the fight to clear his name had been a “nightmare”. Alan Bailes, 55, from Bristol, had to take a saliva test in May 2012, after a complaint to First Bus alleged he was “under the influence of cannabis” (BBC)
  6. RBS Analyst Says Dispute Over Report Led to Mental-Health Issues – Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc was sued by an analyst who said his mental health suffered after his bosses tried to stop him from revealing that a client allegedly falsified a cash-flow statement. Aaron Rich said he faced a long-term psychiatric injury after he was prevented from attending a bank committee meeting several years ago, according to his lawyer and a written argument he gave a London employment tribunal last week (Bloomberg Business)
  7. South Yorkshire firm a ‘serial safety offender’ – A Rotherham-based metals business has been sentenced after it repeatedly risked workers’ lives by making them use dangerous machines – notching up a shocking 31 enforcement notices for safety breaches in just three months (HSE)
  8. Kate Middleton’s ex-bodyguard sues Met police for racial discrimination – A female police officer whose duties included guarding the Duchess of Cambridge is suing the Met for race discrimination and wrongful dismissal. Ricky Haruna claims she was sacked for gross misconduct from the country’s biggest police force last June after making allegations of racism against an officer (The Mirror)
  9. Police forces in Wales receive 148 compensation claims from ex-officers alleging age discrimination – Police forces in Wales have received 148 compensation claims from ex-officers alleging age discrimination. Officers from South Wales, North Wales and Gwent Police have claimed they were made to leave their jobs due to their age (Wales Online)
  10. Jeremy Clarkson to sue BBC if he is sacked: Top Gear star ready to fight back – Jeremy Clarkson has vowed to sue the BBC if he is sacked over punching a producer. The Top Gear star, 54, said he has been “put on silent” about the bust-up but a source said he’ll claim wrongful dismissal if axed (The Mirror)