Employment law stories in the news – 24.05.2021 to 30.05.2021

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news we take a look at ten employment law related stories that made headlines between 24 May 2021 and 30 May 2021

1. Uber recognises union for first time – Uber has agreed to recognise a trade union for the first time, announcing that the GMB will have the power to represent its UK drivers in pay discussions and negotiations on terms of work (Personnel Today)
2. Sales manager was victimised after raising allegations of discrimination, tribunal rules – A sales manager was subject to victimisation after he raised allegations of discrimination against senior management, a tribunal has ruled (People Management)
3. Couple whose boss said their transgender son was ‘evil’ awarded £70,000 – A couple told by a company director their transgender son was ‘evil’ and they were going to hell for supporting him have been awarded £70,000 compensation (Metro)
4. Manager sacked after telling receptionist ‘I didn’t realise you had t**s until today’ – A warehouse worker sacked for talking about a receptionist’s breasts claimed he was trying to ‘reassure’ her after she was called a prostitute by a colleague, an employment tribunal head (The Mirror)
5. Perfume expert wins £15,000 after being wrongly accused of kicking up a stink online when he was sacked from posh Covent Garden fragrance shop – A perfume expert has been awarded £15,000 after he was fired from a boutique London fragrance shop and wrongly accused of defamation (The Daily Mail)
6. Worker wins £16,640 from employer after being unfairly sacked during Covid lockdown – A worker who was fired during the first Covid lockdown has been handed £16,640 from his employer, after a tribunal ruled he was unfairly dismissed (The Mirror)
7. Sikh salesman mocked as an ‘Arab shoebomber’ seeks a record £6.6m payout over campaign of racist abuse by colleagues – A Sikh office worker who was mocked as an ‘Arab shoe bomber’ in a sustained campaign of racist abuse by colleagues is calling for £6.6million in damages (The Daily Mail)
8. Royal Mail postman wins unfair dismissal claim over ‘heap of s***’ van causing back pain – A postman whose “heap of s***” replacement van left him with excruciating back pain has won an unfair dismissal claim. Frustrated Royal Mail employee Andrew Walne was forced to abandon his round after being saddled with the unsuitable Peugeot Bipper (The Mirror)
9. Britain’s equalities watchdog quits Stonewall scheme for ‘woke’ workplaces amid claims that it curbs free speech for workers – Britain’s equalities watchdog has cut ties with a Stonewall scheme for ‘woke’ workplaces after claims that it curbs free speech among staff (The Daily Mail)
10. Sheffield beauty salon boss took 55 per cent of young mum’s monthly earnings before sacking her ‘by text’ – A young mum has won an employment tribunal against her former boss who took 55 per cent of her earnings and failed to pay her the minimum wage before allegedly sacking her by text (Yorkshire Live)