Employment law stories in the news – 13.09.2021 to 19.09.2021
In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news we take a look at ten employment law-related headlines which made the news between 13 September 2021 and 19 September 2021
- Indirect associative discrimination upheld for the first time – Whilst employment tribunal decisions are not binding on other employment tribunals, it is worth noting the reasoning followed by the employment tribunal in the recent decision of Follows v Nationwide Building Society which has for the first time in UK law upheld a claim of indirect associative discrimination (Personnel Today)
- Ex-Barclays banker wins employment lawsuit over ‘sexist language’ – A female Barclays banker whose line manager used “sexist language” referring to women as “birds” has won an employment lawsuit against the bank (Financial Times)
- Worker sacked over canteen chicken nugget disagreement was unfairly dismissed, tribunal rules – A customer service advisor was unfairly and wrongfully dismissed after he was accused of becoming “aggressive and violent” for receiving what he saw as an unfairly small portion of chicken nuggets for lunch in the company canteen, a tribunal has ruled (People Management)
- Seafood factory worker sacked for drinking three beers nine hours before shift started wins £5,000 payout – A seafood factory worker sacked for drinking three beers nine hours before her shift has won a £5,000 payout. Malgorzata Krolik was fired after bosses claimed they could smell alcohol on her when she turned up for her afternoon shift (The Sun)
- ‘Exploited’ hotel worker wins £55,000 payout – A hotel-owning couple who paid their ‘vulnerable’ elderly housekeeper as little as £1.41 an hour and made her sleep in a cellar chair have been ordered to pay £55,194 in compensation (Abergavenny Chronicle)
- Worker sacked over canteen chicken nugget disagreement was unfairly dismissed, tribunal rules – A customer service advisor was unfairly and wrongfully dismissed after he was accused of becoming “aggressive and violent” for receiving what he saw as an unfairly small portion of chicken nuggets for lunch in the company canteen, a tribunal has ruled (People Management)
- Teacher unfairly dismissed after ‘locking’ pupil in ‘haunted’ cupboard – A Blackburn teacher has won his employment tribunal claim for wrongful and unfair dismissal after a pupil lied about being locked in a cupboard as punishment for unruly behaviour (Personnel Today)
- Solicitor-judge in disability challenge received complaints over delays – The government’s failure to make reasonable adjustments enabling a solicitor-judge to do her job effectively resulted in members of the public complaining about delays providing written decisions and letters from senior judges threatening misconduct proceedings, an employment tribunal has heard (The Law Society Gazette)
- Blackpool hearse driver made ‘inappropriate and disgusting comments’ as colleague dealt with stillborn baby – A hearse driver for a funeral directors in Blackpool was dismissed after making sexual references to female colleagues (Lancashire Live)
- Ted Baker manager Mark Bentley wins £50,000 for unfair dismissal – A former senior manager for fashion retailer Ted Baker has been awarded more than £50,000 for unfair dismissal. Mark Bentley was head of European Retail for the upmarket brand but was made redundant in July last year (Herald Scotland)