Employment law cases in the news this week – 10.11.2014 to 16.11.2014

redmans-blog-newsIn the latest of our series of posts, we take a look at ten employment law cases that have made headlines between 10 November and 16 November 2014.

  1. Whistleblower loses bullying claim – An NHS whistleblower was left in tears after an employment tribunal dismissed her claims that she was bullied by her bosses when she made allegations about poor patient care and staff welfare. Psychologist Hayley Dare, who claimed the bullying took place at West London Mental Health NHS Trust, remained defiant after the hearing at Watford employment tribunal (Yahoo News)
  2. Warburtons pays out £16,000 to ex-worker – Bakery giant Warburtons has paid out more than £16,000 for unfairly dismissing a worker and union shop steward based at its new bakery in Wakefield. The employment tribunal ruled that the Bolton firm had discriminated against 66-year-old Peter Charman — a sufferer of type two diabetes — because of his disability (The Bolton News)
  3. Midwife abortion objection case heard at Supreme Court – The UK’s highest court will hear legal arguments on whether midwives have a right to refuse to take any part in abortion procedures on moral grounds. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde appealed to the Supreme Court after judges in Scotland said Roman Catholic midwives had a right to conscientious objection (BBC)
  4. Vice principal of ‘Muslim Eton’ who claimed she was sacked and told she would go to hell for opposing rules that told all girls wear veils during lessons loses claim for racial discrimination – The vice principal of a Muslim girls’ college who claimed she was sacked for opposing rules telling all pupils to wear veils during lessons has lost her claim for racial discrimination (The Mail Online)
  5. Blow for former Norwich Connaught workers after compensation bid fails – More than a hundred Norwich workers who lost their jobs when city council contractor Connaught went into administration have been left disappointed after their bid which could have paved the way for compensation failed (EDP24)
  6. Lawyer turned sailor fails in bid to sue Sir Robin Knox-Johnston over round-the-world yacht race – A lawyer turned sailor who tried to sue Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and organisers of his round-the-world yacht race for alleged sexual discrimination and harassment has had her case thrown out (The Telegraph)
  7. Shelf stacker sues Tesco for £100,000 claiming he was bullied out of his job because he is deaf – A Tesco shelf stacker is suing the firm for almost £100,000 after claiming he was hounded out of his job for being deaf. James Kitson, 32, walked out of his job of 15 years over bullying claims – including when a colleague scrawled ‘JA Kitson is a deaf c***’ on a toilet wall, a tribunal heard (The Mail Online)
  8. Primary head was unfairly dismissed, rules employment tribunal – A headteacher who lost her job despite rescuing a village primary school from the brink of closure has won her case for unfair dismissal. The verdict brought to an end a bitter three-year dispute for Christine Hollidge, 60, whose contract at All Saints Church of England School was terminated in April 2013 (The Midweek Herald)
  9. Woman who had ammonia thrown in her face takes BT to tribunal – A Bromsgrove horse enthusiast who lost some of her sight and was disfigured after ammonia was thrown in her face during an attack complained she was unfairly dismissed by British Telecom (The Bromsgrove Advertiser)
  10. Shop worker tells tribunal colleagues victimised her for love of Ferrero Rocher chocolates – A shop assistant has told a tribunal that her work colleagues made her life a misery by taunting her about her love for Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Angela Connolly was sacked from the Brierley Hill branch of B&M Bargains after she bought an apron for 10p which should have cost £3.99 (The Birmingham Mail)