Employment law stories in the news – 16.03.2015 to 22.03.2015

redmans-blog-newsIn the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news, we take a look at ten employment law stories that have made the news between 16 March 2015 and 22 March 2015

  1. Toy firm and builder in court over warehouse roof death – A Lancashire-based toy distributor and a builder have been sentenced after a worker plunged to his death through a warehouse roof. Craig Gray, 39, from Fleetwood, had been helping to clear debris from the roof when he fell nine metres through a fragile plastic panel at Halsall Toys Europe Ltd on 19 July 2012 (HSE)
  2. Jeremy Clarkson ‘will sue’ BBC if he is sacked: Top Gear presenter prepares to fight for his job as bosses launch new motoring show – Jeremy Clarkson has reportedly promised to sue the BBC if he is sacked from Top Gear over an alleged attack on a show producer.
    Sources close to the 54-year-old, who is currently suspended after allegedly hitting Oisin Tymon, have said he is likely to take action against the Corporation for wrongful dismissal, if he is not reinstated to the programme (The Daily Mail)
  3. Len McCluskey issues warning over higher threshold on strike ballots – Len McCluskey, the general secretary of the Unite trade union, has warned that he would be prepared to hold unlawful strikes if the Conservatives change the law after the general election to enforce a higher threshold on strike ballots (The Guardian)
  4. Sacked Bristol First Bus driver wins cocaine test case – A bus driver sacked when he tested positive for cocaine, said the fight to clear his name had been a “nightmare”. Alan Bailes, 55, from Bristol, had to take a saliva test in May 2012, after a complaint to First Bus alleged he was “under the influence of cannabis” (BBC)
  5. Employment tribunals drop by 70pc as staff discouraged by fees – Employers are divided over whether employment tribunal fees should be abandoned because staff can no longer afford to make claims, research shows. The number of claims has dropped by 70pc since the fee system was introduced by the Government 14 months ago to reduce vexatious cases (The Telegraph)
  6. Barristers condemn Chris Grayling over steep rise in employment tribunal fees – More than 400 barristers have published an open letter to the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, condemning steep rises in employment tribunal fees as a “barrier to access to justice” (The Guardian)
  7. Transport firm fined £500,000 after Hull worker crushed between two lorries – A Cheshire-based transport company has been fined £500,000 after an Hull employee suffered horrific injuries when she was crushed between two lorries. Warwick Crown Court heard (16 Mar) that Jennifer Rose was lucky to be alive after the incident at Tip Trailer Services’ Griff Lane depot in Nuneaton on 9 April 2013 (HSE)
  8. Bosses split on tribunal fees cut – More than a third of employers believe employment tribunal fees should be significantly reduced or abolished altogether, new research has revealed. Cases have plunged since the Government introduced charges almost two years ago, especially for discrimination claims (The Shropshire Star)
  9. National minimum wage to rise by 20p an hour to £6.70 – The national minimum wage will increase by 20p an hour to £6.70 from October, the government has announced. The changes will benefit more than 1.4 million workers (BBC)
  10. Police forces in Wales receive 148 compensation claims from ex-officers alleging age discrimination – Police forces in Wales have received 148 compensation claims from ex-officers alleging age discrimination. Officers from South Wales, North Wales and Gwent Police have claimed they were made to leave their jobs due to their age (Wales Online)