With effect from 6th April 2014, it is no longer possible for employers to reclaim statutory sick pay from the government. See this statutory instrument. Previously, employers could reclaim any amount of SSP which exceeded 13% of its national insurance contributions in the month. The rationale for abolishing it is that it gave employers an[…]
The 6 April is one of the Government’s two annual ‘common commencement dates’ and, as ever, there are plenty of changes to get to grips with. A familiar change is the annual increase in statutory payments such as sick pay, maternity, paternity and adoption pay. However, for the first time, the annual increase in statutory[…]
Procedural Error Does not Undermine Employer’s Justification of Discrimination
LATEST NEWS Apr 02, 2014
In Crime Reduction Initiatives v Lawrence the EAT has held that a procedural error in the dismissal process did not undermine an employer’s justification of discrimination arising from disability under S.15 of the Equality Act 2010. The fact that the claimant had wrongly been invited to a disciplinary meeting instead of a capability meeting did[…]
The Children and Families Act 2014 has now received Royal Assent. The Act contains a number of employment law changes including a new system of shared parental leave and the extension of the right to request flexible working to all employees. The extension of the right to request flexible working is intended to come into[…]
The Government has now published two sets of Regulations relating to the national minimum wage (NMW). One set of Regulations increases the maximum penalty for employers who fail to pay their workers the NMW to £20,000. The other creates a specific exemption from the NMW for workers undertaking one of the Government’s new ‘traineeships’ designed[…]
The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2014 SI 2014/382 has been published. The Order will increase the limits on certain employment tribunal awards and other amounts payable under employment legislation from 6 April 2014. The notable changes include: • the limit on the amount of a week’s pay for the purposes of calculating, among[…]
Can a Claimant who is illegally working in the UK bring a claim for sexual harassment against her unlawful employers? Yes, holds in the EAT in Wijesundera v Heathrow Logistics. Ms Wijesundera, a Sri Lankan national, informed the Respondents that she required a work permit. She commenced employment before this was obtained and knew that[…]
In Mohamud v WM Morrison Supermarkets plc the Court of Appeal has held that an employer was not vicariously liable for an employee’s assault on a customer. There was nothing to show that the attack had a sufficiently close connection with the employment, as required by the House of Lords’ decision in Lister v Hesley[…]
The Welfare Benefits Uprating Order 2014 SI 2014/147 has now been published. The Order sets the rates for statutory sick pay and statutory maternity, paternity and adoption pay from April 2014. The changes that come into force on 6 April 2014 are: • an increase in statutory sick pay from £86.70 to £87.55, and •[…]
Concerns about driving in the snow can amount to a whistleblowing ‘qualifying disclosure’
LATEST NEWS Jan 28, 2014
In Norbrook Laboratories (GB) Ltd v Shaw the EAT has held that a manager’s concerns about employees driving in snowy conditions could amount to a ‘qualifying disclosure’ about health and safety for the purpose of whistleblowing protection, despite being expressed in three separate e-mails to two different recipients. S managed a sales team whose work[…]