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General news
Love him or loathe him, John McCririck has been an eccentric figure on our televisions for 30 years as a pundit for Channel 4 Racing. However, his long career with the broadcaster came to an end recently when IMG Sports Media took over the contract to produce Channel 4 Racing, and a number of the … Read more
When everyone least expected it, 2012 became a dizzyingly busy year for employment legislation. There were periods over the last twelve months where at every turn there was a new government proposal, consultation process or amendment to employment legislation. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, headed up by Vince Cable, Liberal Democrat Business Secretary, … Read more
In a recent decision the Supreme Court ruled that volunteers within organisations do not qualify for the protections afforded under the Equality Act, namely employment discrimination on the grounds of age, race or sex. This landmark case was X v Mid Sussex Citizens Bureau. The facts of the case are that Mrs X was a … Read more
‘Tis the season of the works Christmas Party, but employers and employees should be wary of things getting out of hand, as such get-togethers, often fuelled by alcohol, can bring risks. Two recent cases highlight the dangers inherent in the classic Christmas party. In the case of Gimson v Display by Design, in December 2011, … Read more
The Government consultation on the possibility of employee-owner status was launched in October, and although only a few weeks were given for responses from businesses and employment/HR organisations, the results are now in. It appears from reading the consultation report itself that there seems to be little appetite for these contracts, but the Government seemed … Read more
Restrictive covenants need to be “reasonable” in order for them to be enforceable. However, it is less well-known that this test for reasonableness must be assessed at the time of the contract, rather than the time that the employer is seeking to enforce them. A contract might have been signed and entered into years before … Read more
Adrian Smith, employed by the Trafford Housing Trust and also a devout Christian, remarked on his Facebook page that gay marriage was “an equality too far”. His comments were considered to be misconduct and as a result Mr Smith was demoted with a 40% pay cut. However this week a High Court judgment found in … Read more
The government has confirmed its intention to move ahead with proposals first outlined in the Modern Workplace Consultation in 2011, with the right to request flexible working to be extended to all employees from 2014. It is anticipated there will be a responsibility for employers to deal with requests for flexible working in a reasonable … Read more
Employment law is in the headlines again as Nick Clegg outlined Coalition plans to enact legislation which would allow parents to take flexible parental leave between them depending upon their personal circumstances. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) also sets out the results of its consultation process on flexible working hours for all … Read more
In light of the Jimmy Savile scandal, and whether employees and directors of the BBC were aware of his alleged paedophilic activities, the issue of whistleblowing in a corporate environment has come to the fore. The biggest scandal to hit the BBC in 50 years has led to Jimmy Savile falling from one of the … Read more