Employment law stories in the news – 22.09.2014 to 28.09.2014

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 22 September and 28 September 2014.

  1. New employment tribunal fees could see people ‘priced out of justice’ – People who lose their jobs are being “priced out of justice” by employment tribunal fees, it has been claimed. Local MSP Claire Baker said costs recently introduced by the UK Government are creating a two-tier system, with applicants now required to pay up to £1,200 to pursue their case (The Courier)
  2. Human rights inquiry over Met Police discrimination case – A human rights watchdog is to investigate the Met Police after it emerged references to discrimination were deleted from internal reports. The inquiry by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) comes after PC Carol Howard won a discrimination case against the force (BBC)
  3. Constructive dismissal: delay in resignation because of sick leave – In the recent case of Chindove v William Morrisons Supermarkets plc, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) found that the fact that an employee is on sick leave is a relevant consideration when determining whether a delay in resigning would prevent a claim for constructive dismissal (The Lawyer)
  4. Salford recycling firm sentenced over worker’s crushed leg – A recycling firm has appeared in court after an employee almost lost his right leg when it became trapped in a machine at a Swinton factory. Nearly a year after the incident, doctors still do not know whether the 41-year-old from Middleton, who has asked not to be named, will ever regain the full use of his leg (HSE)
  5. North East NHS worker refused maternity leave after surrogate birth – A woman who had her baby using a surrogate mother has lost a European Court of Justice battle to be granted maternity leave. The North East woman was refused paid time off after her baby was born through a surrogacy arrangement – even though she was breastfeeding the newborn child within an hour of its birth (The Chronicle Live)
  6. Council sentenced after litter picker struck by car – Manchester City Council has been fined £15,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries whilst litter picking on a city road. The 60-year-old from Stretford, who has asked not to be named, had been trying to cross Princess Parkway, a busy road with a 40mph speed limit, when he was struck by a car on 9 July 2013 (HSE)
  7. Treasury ordered to pay £142,000 to ‘whistleblower’ former civil servant – The Treasury has been ordered to pay £142,000 to a former senior civil servant after refusing to carry out a previous tribunal’s ruling that he should be found another job. David Owen, the department’s former head of national insurance policy, was awarded the money this week after the Treasury declined to re-employ him. He was forced to leave his job after accusing colleagues of trying to secretly kill off a proposal by David Gauke, a Treasury minister (The Guardian)
  8. I had to knee bank boss in the groin to stop him ravishing me in a lift: Two female employees subjected to sexual harassment and bullying by managers and clients, employment tribunal hears – Two female bank employees were subjected to years of sexual harassment and bullying by managers and clients, a tribunal heard. Maria Rayworth and Deena Rosario Al Bazi claim they were subjected to lewd behaviour by customers and were not backed up by bosses at the Arab National Bank in London (The Mail Online)
  9. Unison given go-ahead for new judicial review into employment tribunal fees – The Lord Chancellor has given Unison the green light to launch a judicial review into the lawfulness of employment tribunal fees, following a hearing at the Court of Appeal yesterday. Ministry of Justice statistics released since the introduction of fees in July 2013 have consistently shown a dramatic reduction in claims being brought to employment tribunal (Personnel Today)
  10. Chuka Umunna promises ‘justice’ to blacklisted construction workers – A Labour government would hold a full inquiry into the “disgraceful” blacklisting of construction workers, Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna has told the party’s annual conference in Manchester. He pledged to fight for justice for the 130 North East workers named as “troublemakers” who should not be employed on a secret blacklist run by construction firms (The Journal)