Employment law stories in the news – 07.12.2015 to 13.12.2015

redmans-blog-newsIn the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news this week, we take a look at ten employment law stories that have made the news between 7 December 2015 and 13 December 2015

  1. Sacked surgeon: my name’s been cleared… now I want my job back – A pioneering surgeon today told of his joy at having his reputation restored after a judge ruled he had been unfairly dismissed by one of the NHS’s biggest trusts. Professor Nadey Hakim had been accused of “sacrificing” the needs of a London woman undergoing a kidney and pancreas transplant at Hammersmith hospital by first performing a live kidney swap between two foreign brothers at Bupa’s private Cromwell hospital (The Evening Standard)
  2. Worker loses tips of two fingers in band saw – A company who are fabricators of ducting for the building industry have been fined after a worker lost the tips of two fingers while working with a band saw. Nottingham Magistrates’ Court heard a 30 year old employee of Support Systems (Nottingham) Limited was assisting a saw operator to cut ducting by holding the metal while the band saw vice was tightened, before the saw was used to cut the metal. During one particular cut the saw was lowered and cut the tip off two of his fingers on his right hand (HSE)
  3. Employers urged to prepare for minimum wage rise – Many employers are unprepared for next year’s sharp increase in Britain’s minimum wage, according to a government survey, prompting the business minister to urge them to act now to “avoid falling foul of the law” (Financial Times)
  4. Three companies fined after worker lost his life – Three companies have been fined for safety failings after a concrete panel fell from a lorry and killed a worker. Derby Crown Court heard how on 11 January 2011 Mr Travis Hale, 45, was employed as a driver by Punchards Haulage Limited (Punchards) to transport a load of four concrete panels from Derby to a construction site in Edinburgh (HSE)
  5. Blacklisting costs claim – Construction giant Carillion has been forced to abandon its plans to recover legal costs from a blacklisted building worker to whom it has apologised. Dave Smith was one of a number of workers blacklisted by the construction industry because of their union activities (Big Issue North)
  6. High Court judge throws out GMP appeal to overturn ruling it racially discriminated against black detective – Greater Manchester Police has lost its battle to overturn a ruling that it racially discriminated against a black detective. An employment tribunal ruled in February that Det Con Paul Bailey had been the victim of ‘direct discrimination’ as GMP had failed to investigate or even acknowledge a formal complaint he made about being summarily recalled from a secondment (The Manchester Evening News)
  7. Claims of a pig picture ban at a mainly Muslim school ‘are untrue’ – Claims a headteacher at a mainly Muslim school banned pictures of pigs are unsupported, a tribunal has heard. Rizvanna Darr, headteacher at Adderley Primary School, Birmingham, told an employment tribunal on Friday that government inspectors investigated the claims and found them to be untrue (BBC)
  8. Warwickshire tradesman fined after employee lost fingers – Richard John Pullinger, a sole trader that recycles cardboard in Polesworth, was fined after a 19-year-old employee suffered severe damage to his left hand when it was drawn into a roller press that had no guards on it (HSE)
  9. Eva Carneiro’s case against Chelsea and Mourinho ‘to be heard on January 6’ – Former Chelsea club doctor Eva Carneiro will reportedly bring Chelsea and Jose Mourinho before an employment tribunal on January 6. Sky Sports reported that Carneiro, who left the club earlier this season following her demotion from match day duties, will seek damages from Mourinho for sexual discrimination (Eurosport)
  10. Fare play for axed taxi firm staff in payout deal – Three former taxi firm workers have received a Christmas bonus from an employment tribunal. Lynda Anderson, Karen Hopkin and Audrey Patterson are celebrating after securing a total of £18,000 in redundancy and breach of contract payouts (The Daily Record)