Employment law cases in the news – 22.02.2016 to 28.02.2016

redmans-blog-newsIn the latest of our series of posts on employment law cases in the news, we take a look at ten employment law cases that have made the news between 22 February 2016 and 28 February 2016

  1. Christian NHS suspended for giving book to Muslim colleague mounts legal challenge – A Christian NHS worker who was suspended for giving a book to a Muslim colleague has challenged a ruling that her suspension was lawful, saying it is against her freedom to express her religious beliefs (The Evening Standard)
  2. Smiler crash: Alton Towers owner to be prosecuted – The owner of Alton Towers is to be prosecuted over the Smiler rollercoaster crash which left five people seriously injured.
    Two women lost a leg and three others were seriously injured when their carriage collided with a stationary carriage on the same track last year (BBC)
  3. Forensics expert at the centre of Shirley McKie case takes her nine year fight to court and demands her old job back – The forensics expert at the centre of the notorious Shirley McKie case has said she still wants her old job back. Fiona McBride could receive a compensation payout of up to £400,000 if a legal bid for reinstatement this week is successful (The Daily Record)
  4. Couple ordered to pay £460 to waitress who stole from them – A hardworking couple have been ordered to pay £460 compensation to a woman caught red-handed stealing from the till at their Highland tea room. Anne Read was sacked after she was caught on CCTV stealing £60, and subsequently convicted of theft and given 100 hours’ unpaid community work (Deadline)
  5. Religious dress at work: ECJ to hear Muslim headscarf cases – What should an employer do if a third party objects to an employee wearing religious dress while working on the third party’s premises? In March, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) is to consider this issue in two controversial cases on Muslim women wearing Islamic headscarves (hijabs) at work (Personnel Today)
  6. ‘One patient died – it was complete and utter chaos’ – senior surgeon claims he was sacked for blowing the whistle – A senior liver surgeon who worked at both the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General Hospitals claimed he was sacked for blowing the whistle about alleged dangerous working practices (Lancashire Telegraph)
  7. Jeremy Clarkson apologises to Top Gear producer Oisin Tymon – Jeremy Clarkson has apologised to the Top Gear producer he punched after settling a £100,000 racial discrimination and injury claim. Oisin Tymon launched the action against the presenter and the BBC after a “fracas” last March that left Mr Tymon with a bloody lip (BBC)
  8. More holiday pay for thousands of workers after landmark legal ruling – Thousands of workers who rely on commission will be able to claim more holiday pay thanks to a landmark ruling. The Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled in favour of a salesman who received only his basic pay while on holiday, despite making most of his money from commission (The Mirror)
  9. Oil tycoon accused of ‘lying’ over worker’s dismissal – Oil tycoon Ian Suttie has been branded a liar over his involvement in the dismissal of a former employee who raised concerns over “irregular payments”. Michael Gough, a former commercial director at First Integrated Solutions, was constructively dismissed by the firm and has been awarded £78,000 by an employment tribunal (Herald Scotland)
  10. Exposing NHS crisis wrecked my career, says junior doctor who believes there is too little protection for whistleblowers – A junior doctor who raised concerns over staffing levels claims his career has been ruined by a lack of protection for whistleblowers. Dr Chris Day was working overnight in January 2014 when two locum doctors failed to turn up. He had to cover other wards and A&E and reported his concerns to managers (The Daily Mail)