Employment News

New Statutory Rates and Limits

Various statutory rates and limits relevant to employees will increase over the coming months.   From 1stFebruary 2013, the limit on a weeks pay, used for calculating statutory notice and redundancy pay, will increase from £430 to £450. Read more

"Employee-Owner" Contracts

The Government’s response to the consultation on the proposed “Employee-Owner” contracts has now been published.   Despite an overwhelming lack of support for the proposal, the Government has decided to press ahead with what they describe as a “novel way for companies to arrange their workforce”. Read more

Consultation on “Employee-Owner” Contracts Launched

At the Conservative Party Conference George Osborne unveiled plans for a new type of employment relationship. Read more

Extension of Age Discrimination Provisions from 1st October 2012

From 1st October 2012, it will be unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a person aged 18 years or over because of their age unless they can objectively justify such treatment as being a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. Read more

Update on Reform of Employment Legislation

The Government has an ongoing commitment to reduce the “red tape” faced by businesses in an effort to stimulate economic recovery.   This includes reviewing the existing employment legislation. Read more

Maritime Labour Convention to come into force August 2013

The Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) which aims to secure basic rights and minimum standards of work for seafarers will come into force in August 2013. Read more

Gross Misconduct Dismissal

In Graham v Jobcentre Plus, Mrs Graham was a Supervisor at Jobcentre Plus and assisted an acquaintance in finding work.   She had 30 years’ unblemished service. Read more

Holidays and Sickness Absence

If an employee is prevented from taking annual leave due to sickness absence they must be allowed to take that annual leave at a later date even if this means that the holidays are carried forward into the next holiday year. Read more

Annual Employment Tribunal Statistics Published

The annual statistics for the Employment Tribunal Service for the year 1st April 2011 to 31st March 2012 have been reported showing a 15% drop in claims. Read more

Double-Jeopardy in Disciplinary Proceedings

Does the concept of double-jeopardy apply in internal disciplinary proceedings?  Or can an employer re-discipline in respect of the same disciplinary offence because the sanction imposed first time round was too lenient?  These were the questions faced by the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Christou & Ward v London Borough of Haringey.… Read more