Court rules disability must be established at the time of “discriminatory” acts

Mental health conditions can be debilitating, impacting all aspects of a person’s life, including their ability to work. For employers, dealing with the operational consequences can be difficult, and if the employee’s condition qualifies as a disability, there’s also potential for legal action. In 2019, the average award for disability discrimination was £28,371 – higher […]

Ex-Clarks boss brings unfair dismissal claim | The dangers of dismissing a whistleblower

Blog No company wants its name tarnished, which is why some employers will do all they can to keep reports of bad business practice under wraps. However, while having to confront ethical or professional misconduct may be uncomfortable, most employers would agree that whistleblowing is an ethical thing to do, as it prevents companies from operating unchecked, […]

Social media | Can employers be held liable for posts employees make outside of work?

BLOG All too often, ill-judged posts on social media become a work issue, with ramifications for both employees and employers. In recent years, we’ve seen a number of high-profile cases recently where social media use has become an employment issue, such as Danny Baker being fired by the BBC over a potentially offensive tweet that […]

How should employers respond to sexual harassment complaints?

BLOG As the #MeToo Movement continues to cast a spotlight on allegations involving high-profile celebrities, it’s important to remember that sexual harassment isn’t a symptom of the entertainment industry but rather a pervasive issue affecting workplaces across all sectors. In fact, according to a recent poll conducted by the Trade Union Congress, 3 in 5 […]

Sexual harassment in the workplace | Will government recommendations become law?

Last week, an alliance of unions, charities and women’s rights groups initiated a campaign calling for employers to be held legally liable if they fail to protect their staff from sexual harassment at work. As it stands, responsibility for reporting sexual harassment at work lies with the victim, and employers are currently under no legal […]

DISMISSAL | Fired because of politics?

Given the current political climate, talk can often turn to politics. This can create healthy debate, or it can lead to fiery arguments. So what can employers do to ensure that politics doesn’t cause problems in the workplace?  Grievances As tempting as it may be to ban people from talking about highly divisive topics, such […]

Gender pay reporting – managing the consequences

Now that large companies have published their gender pay reports, the results are out in the public for everyone to scrutinise and analyse. This includes employees. They may feel confused, aggrieved or angry at what they have read, so it’s important to think about how you are going to manage the situation to avoid widespread […]

Managing difficult employee exits

You’d hope that most people who leave your organisation would feel content about their experience with you, but there will always be one or two who are very disgruntled. Traditionally, employees would rant and rave about their employers down at the pub with their friends or unburden themselves at home with their family, but social […]

Can a victim of discrimination refuse to work?

Does discriminatory treatment permit an employee to refuse work? This was the question that was explored by the Court of Appeal in the case of Rochford v WND Global Services (UK) Ltd. Facts In this case, the employee worked in sales covering numerous business sectors. He suffered from a serious back condition and had surgery, […]

EMPLOYER’S GUIDE | Sexual orientation discrimination

Facing a discrimination claim is an employer’s worst nightmare come true. Not only can it cause disputes, disrupt team dynamics, negatively affect morale and taint your reputation, it can significantly hit your wallet. There is no cap on the compensation that can be awarded for successful discrimination claims, so it’s absolutely essential that employers get […]