Employment law cases in the news – 12.10.2015 to 18.10.2015

redmans-blog-newsIn the latest of our series of posts on employment law cases in the news, we take a look at eight employment law cases that have made headlines between 12 October and 18 October 2015

  1. Right to be accompanied: veto on trade union representative was unlawful – An employer’s veto on a trade union representative accompanying its employees to disciplinary or grievance hearings led to breaches of the right to be accompanied, an employment tribunal has found (Xpert HR)
  2. Three City Link directors to face criminal charges over firm’s collapse – Three former directors of City Link have been charged with criminal offences in relation to the collapse of the delivery company, which led to the loss of 3,000 jobs last Christmas. David Smith, the former managing director, the former finance director Robert Peto, and a non-executive director Thomas Wright, have been charged with failing to notify the business secretary of plans to make staff redundant at the firm and will go on trial in November (The Guardian)
  3. Logistics company fined after man injured at work – A logistics company was fined £20,000 after a worker was hit by a fork-lift truck in a busy yard and suffered head injuries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated and prosecuted UCH Logistics Limited over its failure to segregate vehicles and people in a yard where the danger of such an incident happening was entirely foreseeable (HSE)
  4. ‘Sexist Woking boss’ made bizarre ‘eat lobster off breasts’ remark, tribunal hears – A tribunal has heard a sexist boss from Woking told a shocked colleague: “He would only eat lobster if it was served on his mother’s breast.” Deepa Tumber, of Howards Close, global head of connectivity at software company Fidessa, allegedly forced two female staff members into redundancy last November after they took maternity leave from the company’s Woking office (Get Surrey)
  5. High-flying banker ‘was fired from Barclays so his boss could take credit for his £51.5million idea and boost his own bonus’ – A high-flying banker claims he was fired so his boss could take the credit for his idea to save Barclays £51.5 million and boost his own bonus, an employment tribunal has heard (The Daily Mail)
  6. Recycling firm fined £200,000 after employee struck by vehicle – A national recycling firm was fined after an employee was struck by a 7.5 tonne telehandler.Preston Crown Court heard Sita UK Limited failed to provide adequate segregation between pedestrians and moving vehicles at a waste transfer station in Darwen, Lancashire (HSE)
  7. Amigo Loans discriminated against part-time working mum, tribunal rules – A former collections agent at Bournemouth loans company Amigo has spoken of her joy after they were found to have discriminated against her as a part-time working step-mum. An employment tribunal at Southampton Magistrates’ Court found in favour of two of Kate Horner’s claims – under part-time workers’ rights and sex discrimination – that she was mistreated in 2013-14 (The Bournemouth Echo)
  8. Newcastle United: Jonas Gutierrez accuses club of discrimination – Former Newcastle United player Jonas Gutierrez is suing the club over the way he says they treated him after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. The Argentina international, 32, was released by the Magpies last season after seven years on Tyneside (BBC)