Employment law stories in the news – 11.06.2018 to 17.06.2018

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news we examine ten employment law-related cases that have made headlines between 11 June and 17 June 2018

  1. A quarter of new fathers unable to claim statutory paternity pay – One in four (23%) men who became a father last year were not eligible to receive statutory paternity pay. More than 140,000 new fathers were not able to claim their up to two weeks’ statutory paternity pay between April 2017 and March 2018, according to analysis of labour force statistics by trade union representative body TUC (Personnel Today)
  2. Millions still owed to workers over axed tribunal fees scheme introduced by Chris Grayling – Labour has accused ministers of “dragging their feet” as new figures revealed that millions of pounds are still owed to workers forced to pay fees under an ill-fated scheme brought in by Chris Grayling (Politics Home)
  3. Two companies fined after worker fell from height – A contractor and scaffolding company were sentenced today for safety breaches after a worker fell five metres from a roof. Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how in December 2015 Jhanade Ryan, a sub-contractor working for Centreco (UK) Ltd, was installing solar panels to the roof of Firth Steels, Brighouse (HSE)
  4. ‘Bullied government employee contacted suicide clinic’ – An employee at a Scottish government agency has told a tribunal that she became a recluse and once contacted the Dignitas clinic after being bullied by her co-workers (The Times)
  5. Why Pimlico Plumber Gary Smith’s landmark victory could change the way millions work – The UK’s highest court has dealt a blow to the so-called gig economy in a landmark ruling over the employment status of a plumber. Gary Smith, who worked for Pimlico Plumbers for nearly six years from 2005, previously won a number of court rulings which determined he could claim “worker” status, even though he was described in his contract as a “self-employed operative” (ITV)
  6. Aston Villa chief executive Keith Wyness suing club for constructive dismissal – Aston Villa are facing further turmoil after former chief executive Keith Wyness launched legal action against the Championship club (The Telegraph)
  7. Union brings High Court challenge over employment status of Deliveroo riders – A trade union is bringing a High Court challenge over the employment status of drivers working for delivery firm Deliveroo (The Daily Mail)
  8. Jeremy Corbyn pledges to end ‘scourge’ of sexual harassment at work – Party ‘will bring about a workplace rights revolution, so people are free to do their jobs, in the hospitality sector and beyond, without facing unacceptable behaviour and abuses of power from colleagues, clients or customers’ (The Independent)
  9. Firms will have to justify pay gap between workers and bosses – The country’s biggest public businesses may soon have to publish the gap between the pay of their chief executive and an average worker (BBC)
  10. Prison staff pay deal is ‘victory in equal pay fight’ – Hundreds of prison staff are to receive four-figure payouts in a deal hailed as a landmark victory in women’s fight for equal pay. The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) had faced an embarrassing employment tribunal amid claims of a “discriminatory” pay deal (Herald Scotland)