Employment law stories in the news – 27.08.2018 to 02.09.2018

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news we examine ten recent employment law-related stories that have made headlines between 27 August 2018 and 2 September 2018

  1. School teacher who claimed she was bullied wins unfair dismissal case – A former teacher who resigned from her post after alleging staff were being bullied has won a claim of unfair dismissal. Nina Sydenham had worked at Alderman Davies Church in Wales Primary School in Neath for almost 20 years before being suspended, after appearing as a witness at a grievance hearing for a colleague (Wales Online)
  2. Appeal allowed for trainee surgeon allegedly dubbed ‘a terrorist-looking person’ – A trainee surgeon who claimed his supervisor likened him “to the doctors who carried out the terrorist attack in Glasgow airport” should have his claims reheard, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled (People Management)
  3. Unite labels South Yorkshire police dress code as ‘draconian’ – Unite, the UK’s largest union, has described a new ‘appearance and standards’ code for all staff employed by south Yorkshire police as being ‘draconian’ and not reflecting society. The code was introduced without consultation with Unite, which represents civilian police staff in south Yorkshire, introduces stringent rules for all staff including those in non-public facing roles (Unite The Union)
  4. Ministers told to change their tune on whistleblowers – The EU praises Britain’s protections, but campaigners want a dedicated watchdog and fear employers will still be able to hound dissenting workers (The Times)
  5. Director forced to pay back thousands of pounds after not paying agency workers – A director has been ordered to pay back thousands of pounds after withholding wages from two workers. Nicholas Brown will pay expenses totalling £5,154 following a hearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court, on Thursday, August 29 (Bristol Post)
  6. Dental nurses who were sacked ‘because they were mums’ handed £16k compo for unfair dismissal – Two dental nurses who were sacked “because they were mums” have been awarded £16,000 in compensation. Jessica Rowley and Billie-Jo Janes were both found to have been unfairly dismissed after they were made redundant in July 2017 (The Sun)
  7. Manufacturer fined after workers exposed to asbestos – A machining manufacturer has been fined after workers were exposed to asbestos fibres whilst demolishing an internal wall. Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard how the workers were asked to remove the internal wall by their manager. There was no asbestos survey or an up to date asbestos management plan for the premises (HSE)
  8. Labour frontbencher used taxpayers’ money to gag Jewish aide and lover who took him to tribunal – A Labour frontbencher used taxpayers’ money to silence his Jewish Parliamentary assistant after she accused him of religious discrimination (The Times)
  9. Company fined after worker loses three fingers – A decorative panel manufacturing company was fined after a worker was injured when using an industrial saw (HSE)
  10. Jamie Oliver ‘had staff sign gagging orders’ as his restaurant empire threatened to collapse – Jamie Oliver reportedly had staff sign gagging orders as his restaurant empire teetered on the brink of collapse. More than 600 workers lost their jobs as the well known chef closed 12 of his Jamie’s Italian restaurants in a desperate bid to save the business earlier this year (The Independent)