Employment law stories in the news – 29.01.2018 to 04.02.2018
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 29 January 2018 and 4 February 2018
- Gay UK diplomat wins landmark case after he was fired when he took adoptive leave – A gay diplomat has won a landmark case after he was dismissed from his job when he sought adoptive leave. Richard Porter, who was posted to Sao Paolo to work as a diplomat for the Department of Trade, was fired after just 19 weeks when he requested leave to look after his newly adopted son (Pink News)
- New Stonewall research exposes the profound discrimination trans people face – New research from Stonewall focusing on the experiences of 870 trans and non-binary people by YouGov, reveals the daily discrimination faced by trans people. The report reveals that 12% of trans employees have been physically attacked by a colleague or customer in the last year and 51% of trans people have hidden their identity at work for fear of discrimination (The HR Director)
- Charity urges employment law tightening to protect interns – An education charity has called for unpaid internships that last more than a month to be banned as it accuses employers of exploting a ‘lack of clarity’ in the law. In a report published today the Sutton Trust says interns should be paid at least the minimum wage (£7.05 per hour for 21-24 year olds, or £7.50 for over 25s) or preferably the living wage of £8.75 (£10.20, in London) if an internship lasts longer than four weeks (The Law Society Gazette)
- Skip hire company fined after lorry driver fatally crushed – A skip hire company has been fined after a lorry driver was fatally crushed between two vehicles. Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 4 November 2015, Beverley Upton, an employee of MAC Skip Hire Limited, was crushed between her lorry and the bucket of a shovel loader while it was being loaded. They had been trying to remove some overhanging waste when the incident happened (HSE)
- Cop who claims he was victimised by police bosses loses 900k damages bid – A police officer who accused his bosses of victimisation has lost a long-running £900,000 damages action. PC Andrew Reid claims he was targeted by senior figures at Police Scotland after complaining about the actions of the controversial Counter Corruption Unit (The Daily Record)
- Gay priest in Appeal Court fight against bishop over discrimination claims – A gay priest who was prevented from working as a hospital chaplain after marrying his partner has urged senior judges to find he suffered discrimination. Canon Jeremy Pemberton, a Church of England (C of E) priest for more than 30 years, had his permission to officiate revoked after he married Laurence Cunnington in April 2014 (The Daily Mail)
- Bank giants make up for lack of listed firms on LGBT employers list – Legal and banking giants were on Wednesday named among the most inclusive UK employers for LGBT people, but there was a lack of blue-chip firms in the annual rankings (The Evening Standard)
- BBC’s 20% gender pay gap for top stars exposed in new report – The BBC was embroiled in a massive new gender pay row today as a major report revealed men are earning as much as 20 per cent more than women in some high profile presenter roles (The Evening Standard)
- Ex-Salisbury mayor Andrew Roberts can sue his former firm for £3.4m, judge rules – An ex-mayor of Salisbury can now pursue a £3.4million claim against his former firm, an appeal court judge has ruled. Andrew Roberts claims Wilsons Solicitors forced him out after he blew the whistle the covering-up of workplace bullying and harassment allegations (The Salisbury Journal)
- London Council and Veolia fined after worker crushed by reversing vehicle – A London Borough Council and large waste company have been fined after a worker was crushed by a reversing dust cart, suffering significant injury. Southwark Crown Court heard how, on 9 May 2016, an employee of London Borough of Croydon, working within the motor vehicle repair undertaking of Veolia ES (UK) Limited as a workshop cleaner, was struck by a reversing 17 and a half tonne dust cart (HSE)