2017 employment news It looks like the key employment law issue for 2017 will be employment status. In recent months, we have seen cases affecting a range of workers operating in the ‘gig economy’ where Employment Tribunals have held that they are entitled to paid holiday under the Working Time Regulations and to be paid…
Gross misconduct Adesokan v Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd We often say that an employer will be entitled to dismiss an employee without notice if the employee is guilty of gross misconduct. That phrase suggests some sort of deliberate wrongdoing on the employee’s part but in Adesokan v Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd the issue was whether it could…
Sickness absence & disability discrimination O’Brien v Bolton St Catherine’s Academy Section 15 of the Equality Act 2010 provides that it is discrimination to treat a disabled person unfavourably because of something arising in consequence of his or her disability – although there is a defence if the employer can show that the treatment is…
Changes to strike laws The major provisions of the Trade Union Act 2016 came into force on 1 March, 2017. This means that from now on industrial action ballots will only be lawful if at least 50 per cent of those being balloted cast a vote. Where the majority of those being balloted are engaged…
Religious Dress in the Workplace Achbita v G4S Secure Solutions NV Whatever you might have read elsewhere, the Court of Justice for the European Union has categorically not ruled that employers are allowed to ban the wearing of Islamic headscarves in the workplace. But what the Court does say in the case of Achbita v…
Workplace disputes are costly. They damage relationships and compromise business performance. Read our article on workplace conflict here. Disciplinary and grievance policies are designed to manage disputes by establishing wrongdoing by employees against their company or colleagues. While these policies appear to resolve disputes, they are time consuming, unpleasant for all, including colleagues involved in an investigation, and typically end…
At Inside Advantage we believe that strong workplace relationships are the essential foundation of high performing organisations. People work hard for each other, cooperating and collaborating to achieve their objectives. However, when a relationship breaks down the consequences can be far reaching. Emotions can run high, clouding the parties vision and reasoning. Unresolved conflict consumes…
While you focus on strategies to maximise performance and engagement in your business, could your employees be engaging in extra-curricular activities? The workplace can be a fertile place for spawning intimate relationships and, according to a survey by CareerBuilder.com in 2014, 38% of respondents have dated a co-worker at least once. In 2013, Vault.com reported…