Employment law cases in the news – 15.12.2014 to 21.12.2014

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law cases in the news this week, we take a look at ten employment tribunal cases that have made headlines between 15 December 2014 to 21 December 2014

1. Three to pay £590,000 after father’s death at Yorkshire Mining Museum – Yorkshire’s National Coal Mining Museum Trust and two companies were today (16 Dec) ordered to pay a total of £590,000 in fines and costs after a worker was crushed and killed at the museum in 2011 (HSE)
2. Doctor loses racial discrimination case against hospital trust that demoted him following colleague bust-up – A top doctor who was demoted following an extraordinary bust-up with a surgeon at Manchester Royal Infirmary has lost his racial discrimination case against the hospital. Consultant anaesthetist Dr Kamran Abbas and consultant surgeon Jarrod Homer were both given final written warnings after the furious altercation in front of colleagues on the hospital’s main theatre corridor (The Manchester Evening News)
3. University of Kent lecturer’s age discrimination claim to be reheard – An employment tribunal was wrong to dismiss a lecturer’s claim that he suffered age discrimination when his department made it essential for all new staff to have a PhD, a judge has ruled (The Times Higher Education Supplement)
4. Blacklisted workers from South Yorkshire continue compensation fight in High Court – Construction workers from South Yorkshire and Derbyshire are among dozens of builders taking High Court action against employers who discriminated against them via a secret blacklist (The Star)
5. Rock singer who claimed he was forced to quit day job after ‘hostile’ female colleague slapped his buttocks and sent him rude texts loses sex discrimination case – A rock singer who claimed that he was forced to quit his day job after a female colleague sexually harassed him by slapping his bottom and sending him lewd texts has lost his sexual discrimination case. Tom Ford, 31, said Lucy Myers constantly complimented his looks, gave him gifts and bought cooked food into work for him to win his affection (The Mail Online)
6. UNISON to appeal High Court decision over tribunal fees – UNISON has today been granted permission to appeal the High Court’s decision turning down the union’s second Judicial Review application over the government’s decision to introduce employment tribunal fees (UNISON)
7. Bristol Council apologises to teacher who had claim for racial discrimination upheld by tribunal – A teacher who had a claim for racial discrimination against his school upheld by an employment tribunal has received an apology from the city council for appointing his former boss as a consultant (The Bristol Post)
8. Recycling firm sentenced over forklift death – A recycling company has been fined £180,000 after a worker was killed on his first day at work when the forklift truck he was driving overturned. Ian Aliski, 29, from Ellesmere Port, was using the forklift at Recresco Ltd’s glass recycling plant in Manisty Wharf, North Road, Ellesmere Port, on 26 April 2010 when the vehicle overturned, crushing him to death (HSE)
9. 21-stone man wins job case – A British man won a landmark case against the company that dismissed him, after a High Court judge ruled the effects of obesity can be classed as a disability. John Walker, 49, weighed more than 21 stone when he lost his job as an IT manager. He was sacked after spending seven years off work with a plethora of ailments including asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue and knee problems (The Sunday Times)
10. Former secretary drops action against Dundee FC – A former secretary of Dundee Football Club has withdrawn her claim of unfair dismissal against the club. Laura Hayes raised an employment tribunal following her exit from the club in September 2013 (The Courier)