Employment law stories in the news – 24.10.2016 to 30.10.2016

In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news, we take a look at nine employment law stories that have made headlines between 24 October 2016 and 30 October 2016

1. PSNI officer victimised after speaking out, tribunal told – The detective who coaxed a confession out of double killer Hazel Stewart has said he was victimised in his job ever since reporting two senior police officers for misconduct (The Belfast Telegraph)
2. Army tried to destroy my career, says ‘whistleblower’ doctor – A “whistleblowing” army doctor with an unblemished service record was sacked because he discovered potentially criminal appropriation of morphine at a military base in the north-west of England, a tribunal has heard (The Guardian)
3. Worker seriously injured in mobile platform fall – A Buckinghamshire waste equipment maintenance firm has been fined after a worker suffered serious head injuries when a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) overturned (HSE)
4. MPs launch inquiry into UK working conditions amid exploitation fears – MPs have launched an inquiry into pay and working conditions in the UK to reflect growing concerns about the rise of casual employment, agency work and the informal gig economy (The Guardian)
5. Ban on unpaid internships being considered, says UK employment minister – Ministers are looking at whether to ban unpaid internships that have been criticised for helping young people with wealthy parents get ahead in the workplace. Damian Hinds, the employment minister, said it was right to review internships as unpaid posts are not accessible to those who do not have help with their living costs (The Guardian)
6. 80% of self-employed don’t want employment rights, reveals survey – Self-employed freelancers working in the UK’s gig economy are not vulnerable nor do they want employment rights forced on them by Government and HMRC (Contractor Calculator)
7. Maternity leave sackings cost £280m a year, says equality watchdog – British businesses are losing hundreds of millions of pounds every year as a result of women being forced out of jobs after having a baby, a damning report from the equalities watchdog has revealed (The Guardian)
8. Uber drivers win key employment case – Uber drivers have won the right to be classed as workers rather than self-employed. The ruling by a London employment tribunal means drivers for the ride-hailing app will be entitled to holiday pay, paid rest breaks and the national minimum wage (BBC)
9. Farming and drilling contractors fined after mast strikes power line – Two Norfolk-based companies have been fined after a worker suffered life-changing injuries following an overhead power line strike. Norwich Crown Court heard that L F Papworth Ltd and T. W. Page & Son Ltd had organised drilling work for the purposes of crop irrigation at Felmingham, Norfolk (HSE)