Employment law cases in the news – 24.08.2015 to 30.08.2015

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 24 August and 30 August 2015

  1. Union fails with employment tribunal fee challenge – Trade union Unison has failed in its challenge to the government’s employment tribunal fee regime. The Court of Appeal today ruled it could not be inferred that a drop in the number of employment claims was entirely down to potential claimants unable to afford fees (The Law Society Gazette)
  2. Paulamar Company fined over worker injuries – A manufacturer of foam plastics and rubber materials was sentenced today after admitting safety failing leading to a teenage worker being permanently disfigured (HSE)
  3. Restaurant tipping abuse under investigation – Business Secretary Sajid Javid has ordered an investigation into the “abuse” of tipping in restaurants. This follows reports that some restaurant chains are regularly holding back some or all of the tips meant for their staff (BBC)
  4. Britain’s worst bosses are the only winners from employment tribunal fees, says TUC chief – There were 36,311 claims in the North East between July 2012 and June 2013, compared to 13,529 in the year following the introduction of fees.Employment tribunal fees have been a huge victory for Britain’s worst bosses (The Chronicle Live)
  5. Tube strike: Londoners want curb on public sector walkouts, exclusive poll reveals – Londoners overwhelmingly back a ban on public sector strikes unless 40 per cent of the workforce vote for them, an exclusive poll reveals today (The Evening Standard)
  6. Unison wants to continue tribunal fees fight in Supreme Court – Unison will seek permission to appeal to the Supreme Court after losing its challenge to the legality of employment tribunal fees. The trade union is calling for a judicial review into the validity of the fees introduced by the coalition government for workers to take employment disputes to a tribunal (WSandB)
  7. Fee introduction could see employment tribunal claims plummet by 60 per cent in South East – Employment claims in the South East could be down as much as 60% on levels before fees were introduced. Employment tribunal claims dropped 50% in the South East in the year after fees were introduced, according to figures from the Ministry of Justice (GetBucks)
  8. Bus driver fired after taking hands off wheel to use his iPad – A bus driver for a private coach operator was sacked after using his iPad while driving his bus at 100kmph on a motorway. CCTV cameras on the Aircoach recorded driver Sean Purcell take his two hands off the steering wheel to take out his iPad (The Independent.ie)
  9. Employment tribunal claims drop 50% in Wales – one year after fees are introduced – Employment tribunal claims dropped a massive 50% in Wales in the year after fees were introduced, new figures from the Ministry of Justice have revealed. A trade union chief called the figures “shocking”, saying the fees have been a gift for Britain’s worst bosses (Wales Online)
  10. Firm fined after worker injures hand at saw mill – A company that manufactures garden timber products has been fined for safety failings that led to a worker sustaining serious injury to his left hand(HSE)