The Court of Appeal has held in the case of Higgs v Farmor’s school and others that the dismissal of an employee for posting on social medial in relation to her beliefs on gender fluidity and the nature of sex education teaching, particularly in primary schools, was not objectively justified and amounted to unlawful discrimination.
Amanda Sanders (UK)
New Neonatal Care Rights: A Step Forward for Working Parents
The UK government has announced a transformative update for working parents. From 6 April 2025, the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 will introduce Neonatal Care Leave (NCL) as a day-one entitlement and Statutory Neonatal Care Pay (NCP) for eligible employees.
Currently, parents of newborn babies needing neonatal care rely on the discretion…
UK Supreme Court decision on the rights of third parties to bring claims
In Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs v Public and Commercial Services Union and two other cases [2024] UKSC 41, the Supreme Court overturned a Court of Appeal decision and held that a trade union was entitled, under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (the 1999 Act…
The new Employment Rights Bill: What does it mean for employers?
On 10 October, the Government published the Employment Rights Bill 2024 (the Bill). The Bill contains significant reforms to employment rights and has been hailed as being a “once in a generation” change to the employment rights of workers. Its aim is to “deliver economic security and growth to businesses, workers and communities across…
The Kings Speech – What does it include on Worker’s Rights?
On 17 July the new Labour Government published the King’s Speech in which it announced that the government is committed to securing economic growth by a new partnership with business and working people and is committed to make work pay and will legislate to introduce a new deal for working people to ban exploitative practices…
Government consults on changes to TUPE and European Works Councils
On 16 May 2024, the UK government launched a consultation paper setting out proposed amendments to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) and abolishing the legal framework for European Works Councils (EWCs). This follows the policy paper published in May 2023, “Smarter regulation to grow the economy”. Despite the general election…
EU confirms agreement on rules to improve working conditions of platform workers
On 11 March the Council of the EU confirmed the provisional agreement reached on the Platform Workers Directive (the Directive). The Directive aims to improve the working conditions of those who work on platforms in the gig economy and will also regulate the use of algorithms by digital labour platforms.
Employment protection
The EU suggests…
Employment: What is coming into force in April 2024?
As we highlighted in our previous post (What to expect in employment law in 2024), 2023 saw the introduction of several significant employment legislative changes. Just to remind you of the changes due to come into effect in April.
Holiday Leave and Pay:
Provisions for irregular hours and part-year workers apply to leave…
Territorial Jurisdiction – where is the employee’s base?
In Yacht Management Company Ltd v Gordon the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has upheld a decision of the Employment Tribunal, that there were numerous factors to support the Tribunal’s conclusion that it had jurisdiction to hear a claim of unfair dismissal brought by the employee because the seafarer’s “base” was her home in Aberdeen…
Employment Tribunal claims and Sovereign Immunity
In The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia (Cultural Bureau) v Ms A Alhayali the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) considered the situations in which embassies and other diplomatic missions can claim state immunity from employment-related claims.
The EAT applied the recent Supreme Court case of Benkharbouche v Embassy of Sudan which had resulted…