Employment law cases in the news – 27.10.2014 to 02.11.2014

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 27 October and 2 November 2014.

  1. Director of Walsall firm escorted from premises in family dispute, employment tribunal hears – A director who ran one of the oldest family firms in the West Midlands with his brother and a cousin, was escorted from the Walsall premises following an acrimonious dispute over a financial agreement. David Williamson, his brother Matthew and cousin Christopher Williamson had been directors of the Joseph Dixon Tool Co.Ltd of Charles Street, Walsall which had been formed by their grandfather in 1843. But David complained at a Birmingham Employment Tribunal preliminary hearing that he unfairly lost his job at the family firm after 15 years as commercial director and working on the shop floor when needed (The Walsall Advertiser)
  2. Aberdeen oil worker awarded £30,000 for unfair sacking – An oil worker has been awarded more than £30,000 for being unfairly sacked from his firm of 25 years. David Williamson, of Aberdeen, was fire from Scotoil Services for allegedly harassing agency staff. But an employment tribunal unanimously agreed the firm had “no reasonable grounds” to believe this (The Evening Express)
  3. Jail guard sues for sex assault claim sacking – A former prison officer who was sacked after his wife accused him of sexual assault is suing his bosses for unfair dismissal. John Palfreman, who was a guard at Low Moss Prison in Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, failed to tell the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) about his arrest and the charges against him for a week after being released on bail (Herald Scotland)
  4. Whistle-blower lost job after complaint about hospital patient who died at bus stop, tribunal hears – A whistle-blowing complaint about an elderly male patient found dead at a bus stop after being left there in the early hours following his discharge from a Dudley hospital allegedly led to a security manager losing his job, a tribunal heard (Stourbridge News)
  5. Jealous colleagues forced top nurse out of job at failing Tameside Hospital, rules tribunal – Jealous nurses at a failing hospital forced a ‘committed and competent’ nurse out of work, a tribunal has found. Jean Haydr, 48, from Droylsden, was on the brink of finishing a Masters degree and being promoted to a senior nurse after 12 years working at Tameside General Hospital (The Manchester Evening News)
  6. Court of Appeal says Christian worker has no discrimination protection – The Court of Appeal has today (28 OCT) ruled that a Christian worker who lost her job at Heathrow airport after spurious ‘anti-Islam’ complaints were made against her, has no employment protection rights (Christian Concern)
  7. Chef sacked by students’ union ‘because of the colour of his skin’, employment tribunal told – A chef was sacked from Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Students’ Union because of the colour of his skin, an employment tribunal has been told. Victor Kitomari was dismissed from his job in the kitchen for gross misconduct following allegations of assault, the panel heard, but he claims he was the victim of racial discrimination (Wales Online)
  8. Brokers ‘swapped Kim Jong Il pictures’ during Asian client call, court hears – A British Asian City worker suing one of the UK’s biggest brokers for alleged racial discrimination and harassment helped create an atmosphere where racially offensive jokes went unpunished, a court heard today. Kishore Kansal, 33, is seeking £1.5m in damages from his former employer Tullett Prebon where he worked as a £130,000-a-year broker. The company, together with six of Mr Kansal’s former colleagues, all deny the claim (The Independent)
  9. Former general manager of market in Bradford wins £13,800 payout at employment tribunal – The former general manager of a Bradford market has won his claim for more than £13,000 of unpaid wages, notice and holiday pay at an employment tribunal. Bradford Bazaar Limited, which denied ever employing Ubaid Mughal as general manager, has been ordered to pay him £13,800 (The Telegraph and Argus)
  10. Sports Direct bows to pressure over zero hours contracts – Sports Direct has caved into pressure over its use of controversial zero hours contracts in a victory for campaigners who have called on the company owned by billionaire Mike Ashley, to end the “abusive” practice (The Independent)