Workplace personality clashes are sadly common but a perception that an employee is difficult to work with is not enough to justify his or her dismissal. A college found that out to its cost after an Employment Tribunal (ET) ordered it to pay more than
Every disabled employee is entitled to have reasonable adjustments made for them so that they are not disadvantaged in going about their work. In a case on point, an ME and chronic fatigue syndrome sufferer who could not meet the requirements of her employer’s attendance
When deciding whether to enforce non-compete covenants in employment contracts, judges often have to perform a delicate balancing exercise between protection of legitimate business interests and individual hardship. A High Court ruling in a recruitment industry dispute provided a perfect example of that happening. A
To what extent, if any, are employers liable for racial harassment of their staff by third parties? The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) gave authoritative guidance on that issue in a case concerning a mental health nurse who was assaulted and racially abused by a patient.
Race discrimination in the workplace is not always overt, or even conscious, but judges are always on the alert to spot instances of stereotypical prejudice, as a Court of Appeal ruling strikingly showed. The case concerned a black photographer who was called into her manager’s
Open plan office spaces are preferred by many and make good business sense – but they do not suit everyone. An employer found that out to its cost after being ordered to pay substantial damages to an autistic worker who felt overwhelmed by his flexible working
Where workers are employed on permanent contracts but work for only part of the year, how should their holiday pay be calculated? The Court of Appeal addressed that burning issue in a test case concerning a school music teacher. The teacher was not a casual
In a decision which will cost the NHS many millions of pounds, the Court of Appeal has ruled that a hospital trust failed to properly monitor a group of junior doctors’ working patterns so as to ensure that they received adequate rest breaks. In a
Restrictive covenants in employment contracts are an essential means of protecting legitimate business interests. However, as a High Court decision showed, they need careful, professional drafting and examples that are too heavy-handed may not be worth the paper they are written on. The case concerned
Businesses in which women are under-represented in senior roles invite speculation that the imbalance results from discriminatory sexual stereotyping. However, as a case in the context of the banking sector showed, Employment Tribunals (ETs) are required to base their decisions not on surmise but on
