Employment law stories in the news – 11.09.2017 to 17.09.2017

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news, we take a look at ten employment law stories that have made headlines between 11 September and 17 September 2017

  1. Employment tribunal numbers remain stable – The number of employment tribunal claims rose very slightly during the period between April and June this year, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Justice (Personnel Today)
  2. Sports Direct challenged by MPs over claims it underpays couriers – MPs on two parliamentary select committees have challenged Sports Direct over claims it is deliberately under-paying couriers by mislabeling heavy items, including bicycles, as lightweight packets to avoid paying the fair delivery cost (The Guardian)
  3. Pensions Regulator launches landmark prosecution over auto-enrolment – A bus company that allegedly deliberately avoided enrolling staff into a workplace pension scheme is being prosecuted by the UK’s Pensions Regulator (Out-Law)
  4. MP urges rethink on employment tribunal time constraints – Employment tribunal judges should be allowed more leeway to hear disputes that are brought outside of the time limit for bringing a claim, an MP has suggested (The Law Society Gazette)
  5. Illegal strike threat from unions after pay cap row – Three of Britain’s biggest trade unions are threatening a wave of illegal strikes this winter if Theresa May refuses to lift the 1 per cent cap on pay rises for the whole public sector (The Times)
  6. Company fined after worker fatally crushed by fork lift truck – Lincolnshire based firm Vacu-Lug Traction Tyres Limited has been fined after a worker died when the fork lift truck he was driving overturned at the company base in Grantham (HSE)
  7. Brexit: workers’ rights best secured by staying in single market, says TUC chief – Continued membership of the European Union single market is the best way to protect British workers after Brexit, the TUC’s general secretary, Frances O’Grady, will say on Monday, increasing the pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to shift Labour’s policy (The Guardian)
  8. Jeremy Corbyn attacks bosses over ‘gig economy’ – Jeremy Corbyn has accused “unscrupulous bosses” of using technology to undermine workers’ rights in a speech to trade union members (BBC)
  9. Theresa May faces growing Brexit revolt amid accusations over workers’ rights – Theresa May faced a growing Brexit revolt today as Tory MPs accused ministers of smuggling cuts in workplace rights under cover of the Withdrawal Bill (The Evening Standard)
  10. Manchester company fined over employer liability insurance – A Manchester linen manufacturer has been fined for failing to provide Employers Liability (Compulsory) Insurance (ELCI). Following the receipt of an anonymous complaint in April 2017, an inspection was conducted at the site by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)