Employment law stories in the news – 18.04.2016 to 24.04.2016

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 18 April and 24 April 2016

  1. Construction company fined after worker injured falling through void – A construction company based in Derbyshire has been fined after a worker was seriously injured when he fell through a void. Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how a worker employed by a sub-contractor working for Bowmer and Kirkland Limited, was contracted to pour concrete onto the first floor of a building that was under construction at Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, Edinburgh (HSE)
  2. Prominent Newcastle businessman barred from case over claims of threats to former employee – A prominent Tyneside businessman was kicked out of his own court case over claims he made frightening threats to a former employee who sued for unfair dismissal. Mohammed Kaliq, who runs Gainford Care Homes Ltd and Gainford Hotels which owns Newcastle’s Vermont Hotel – was excluded from proceedings at a North Shields tribunal over claims he intimidated former area manager Margaret Roe (The Chronicle Live)
  3. Tullis Russell paper firm workers receive £1.5m in compensation – Former workers of a Fife paper firm have been awarded £1.5m in compensation after they were made redundant with just one day’s notice. A total of 374 employees lost their jobs when Tullis Russell Papermakers, based at Markinch in Fife, went into administration in April 2015 (BBC)
  4. ‘Fattist’ discrimination should be outlawed in the workplace, says judge – Fattist discrimination in the workplace should be outlawed to bring the issue into line with other equality issues, a leading judge has said. Philip Rostant, a judge specialising in employment law who is also training director for the Employment Tribunals of England and Wales, said such laws would prevent bias against those of “non-ideal weight” (The Telegraph)
  5. Leeds owner could be held in contempt of court after sex discrimination case – Troubled Leeds owner Massimo Cellino could be held in contempt of court following his reaction to losing his sex discrimination case last week. Cellino was left fuming and humiliated after a tribunal found him guilty of wrongfully dismissing and sexually discriminating against former employee Lucy Ward (The Daily Star)
  6. Scots postal workers vote to strike over sacked colleague – Postal workers have voted to strike across a large part of Scotland and action could take place before the 5 May Holyrood elections. The result of the ballot, which closed on Tuesday, means deliveries may be affected across the EH (Edinburgh and Lothians),TD (Borders), FK (Stirling and central areas) and KY (Glenrothes and Fife) postcodes (The Scotsman)
  7. Swindon Town football club fined for failing to give players pensions – Swindon Town Football club has been fined over £20,000 after it “repeatedly” failed to meet new obligations to set up pensions for staff. The football club was fined £22,900 by the Pensions Regulator for not putting eligible employees into a pension scheme, paying contributions or writing to staff to explain how automatic-enrolment affected them (The Telegraph)
  8. Bike couriers launch legal fight over workers’ rights – Four bicycle couriers are taking their companies to a tribunal in a bid to get employed workers’ rights, including paid holidays and the minimum wage. If successful, the case could have a huge impact on the growing number of workers who are being wrongly categorised as self-employed (BBC)
  9. Company fined after worker falls five metres from flat roof – A signage company based in Sheffield, has been fined after a worker fell five metres from a flat roof. Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court heard how Warburton Signs Limited were contracted to erect a large sign to the gable end of an industrial building. Three fitters accessed a neighbouring flat roof to fit the sign when one worker fell from the roof. He sustained life threatening injuries, including a fractured skull, several broken ribs, a collapsed lung and chipped vertebra (HSE)
  10. Bin lorry driver tells of shock at council’s U-turn over his sacking – Two binmen who were sacked over a bitterly disputed drink-at-work row have told how their elation turned to agony when they were dismissed for a second time – just days after a council chief confirmed they had won their jobs back (The Shields Gazette)