Topic: Europe

Subscribe to Europe RSS feed

Claim by track cyclist Jess Varnish to be heard in the employment tribunal next week

Global Workplace InsiderBy Claire Darbourne on Posted in Discrimination and harassment, Europe, UK
Track cyclist Jess Varnish brought a claim of sex discrimination against British Cycling and UK Sport last year, following her removal from the Great Britain Olympic team just months before the 2016 Rio Games. In the UK, protection from discrimination in the workplace is governed by the Equality Act 2010 (the Act). However, in order … Continue reading

Decision of the French Supreme Court of 28th November 2018 : Does it spell the doom of the gig economy?

Laure JoncourBy Laure Joncour on Posted in Europe, France
The term « gig economy » has come into use to describe segmented jobs governed by “apps”. Drivers, riders, cleaners rely on a “digital platform” to be put in contact with clients and their jobs do not seem to fall precisely within the parameters of laws designed to deal with the traditional subordination relationship of employee to … Continue reading

Employees on Long term sickness – when can an employer dismiss?

Global Workplace InsiderBy Amanda Sanders on Posted in Contracts, Discrimination and harassment, UK
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has recently confirmed that employers should take care when dismissing an employee who is entitled to participate in a permanent health insurance (PHI) scheme and is absent from work by reason of long term ill health. It held that there is an implied term that an employer will not dismiss … Continue reading

Do managers typically think of personal liability when making decisions to dismiss? They perhaps should

Paul Griffin (UK)By Paul Griffin (UK) on Posted in General, UK, Whistleblowing
Directors and senior managers and their employers should consider the recent Court of Appeal decision in the Osipov whistleblowing case very carefully. Briefly, by way of scene-setting, Osipov had made a series of protected disclosures and he was ultimately dismissed as CEO of the employer company pursuant to a decision of two non-executive directors (NEDS) … Continue reading

Vicarious liability in the data breach context – bad news for UK employers

Global Workplace InsiderCatrina Smith (UK)By Amanda Sanders and Catrina Smith (UK) on Posted in Data privacy and GDPR, General, UK
The Court of Appeal has upheld a decision of the High Court holding that an employer can be vicariously liable for data breaches caused by the actions of an employee, even where the employee’s actions were specifically intended to harm the employer. This decision is significant as it means a company can be held liable … Continue reading

Employee rights on bereavement

Global Workplace InsiderBy Claire Darbourne on Posted in Contracts, Europe, UK
In the UK, compassionate leave for employees in the event of bereavement has until now been dealt with by way of employment policies. There have been no specific legal rights on bereavement, whether in relation to the death of a family member or anyone else close to the employee. Any rights which they have to … Continue reading

Dismissal for misconduct cannot be based (solely) on anonymous reports

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Contracts, Discrimination and harassment, Europe, France, Whistleblowing
Anonymous reports have been mistrusted for a number of years in France, for historical reasons. While anonymity enables individuals to raise their voice more openly, without being the targets of retaliation measures, it can also drift into slander. This explains a specificity of French law under which whistleblowers using ethicals lines are strongly encouraged to … Continue reading

The dangerous combination of the right to disconnect and the concept of on call-duty

Laure JoncourBy Laure Joncour on Posted in Europe, France, General
French law implemented in 2017 the “right to disconnect” from digital tools, requiring employers to limit employees’ use of digital tools outside of office hours. The purpose of this legislation is to protect the employees’ work-life balance and their right to rest periods. The law did not provide details of how employers should implement the … Continue reading

Stärkere Kontrollen bei Dienstreisen erwartet: Erfordernis von A1-Bescheinigungen

Cornelia MarquardtBy Cornelia Marquardt on Posted in Europe, Germany
Mit einer Entscheidung vom 6. September 2018 stärkte der EuGH (C-527/16) die Bedeutung der sozialversicherungsrechtlichen A1-Bescheinigung. Zur Vermeidung doppelter Sozialversicherungsbeiträge in zwei verschiedenen EU-Staaten bescheinigt dieses Entsendeformular, welches Sozialsystem für einen Versicherten zuständig ist. Die A1-Bescheinigung ist selbst bei sehr kurzen Dienstreisen ins Ausland erforderlich und zwar sowohl für Arbeitnehmer als auch für Selbstständige. Der … Continue reading

Can a dismissal letter be signed by an individual belonging to a holding entity?

Marie-Thérèse EugénioBy Marie-Thérèse Eugénio on Posted in Europe, France
Dismissal procedures are highly regulated in France including with respect to the identity of the individual who is entitled to conduct the procedure and sign the dismissal letter; such person must -by definition- be the “employer” .  However, some flexibility has been introduced over the years by French case law, and a recent decision of … Continue reading

Corporate Governance Reform – new disclosure requirements

Global Workplace InsiderBy Amanda Sanders on Posted in General, UK
Following on from it proposals for reform, which we reported on at the end of last year (Corporate Governance Proposals), the UK Government has now published draft regulations, (the draft Companies (Miscellaneous Reporting) Regulations 2018). The Draft Regulations will implement some of the proposals, in particular in relation to holding larger companies to account for … Continue reading

Legal update: Minimum protection for Gig Economy workers in Italy and in the international context

Attilio PavoneBy Attilio Pavone on Posted in Contracts, Italy
The need to update existing labour laws in light of the rapid changes introduced by the digital economy is one of principal issues under the “new ways of working” debate and has made the  headlines in many Italian papers, including the leading daily, Il Sole24Ore.  We need to use the legal tools that are available … Continue reading

Regulation applicable to dress codes in the workplace in France

François GuillonBy François Guillon and Elodie Grangier on Posted in Europe, France
An individual freedom… Generally speaking, employees are free to choose how they wish to dress, including in the workplace. Such freedom is protected by the rules of the French labor code, which provide that an employer may not restrict an employee’s work clothing without proper justification based on the nature of the tasks to be … Continue reading

Overtime and holiday pay – non-guaranteed and voluntary overtime

Global Workplace InsiderBy Amanda Sanders on Posted in Contracts, Europe, UK
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) in the UK has recently considered whether voluntary as well as non-guaranteed overtime should be taken into account in calculating the amount of holiday pay. The question arose both under the terms and conditions of the claimants’ employment, but also pursuant to the EU Working Time Directive (No.2003/88) (WTD). The … Continue reading

Tort liability: other grounds for bringing actions against a parent company in French employment litigation

Marie-Thérèse EugénioBy Marie-Thérèse Eugénio on Posted in Europe, France
It is a fact of life in French employer-employee relations that employees have no hesitation in bringing actions against their employer, in particular following termination of an employment, and that litigation is therefore not just a virtual weapon. Not only do employees sue their employer but, where the employer is a part of a group … Continue reading

Le temps de trajet des salariés itinérants n’est (définitivement) pas du temps de travail effectif

Global Workplace InsiderBy Elodie Grangier on Posted in Contracts, Europe, France
La détermination du temps de travail effectif des salariés est un sujet complexe, et l’enjeu est considérable pour les salariés dans la mesure où ce temps de travail effectif a un impact direct sur leur rémunération. C’est encore plus vrai pour les salariés itinérants, dont les fonctions impliquent des temps de trajet importants (notamment entre … Continue reading

“High heels and workplace dress codes” – the UK Government Equalities Office publishes guidance

Global Workplace InsiderBy Claire Darbourne on Posted in Discrimination and harassment, Europe, UK
In December 2015, an agency worker arrived to work as a receptionist and was sent home without pay for failure to wear high heels in accordance with the agency’s dress code. The story attracted widespread media attention, and led to an enquiry by a House of Commons Committee whose report was published in January 2017. … Continue reading

Appointing Contractors through a personal service company – employment and tax implications

Global Workplace InsiderBy Amanda Sanders on Posted in Contracts, UK
Following on from the recent cases on employment status there has been much discussion regarding how individuals should be appointed. Whilst some commentary has suggested that companies should consider appointing their contractors through Personal Service Companies (PSC’s), is this an ideal solution? Currently, where a private sector employer appoints a contractor who operates through a … Continue reading

Corporate Governance Reform – new disclosure requirements

Global Workplace InsiderBy Amanda Sanders on Posted in UK, Uncategorized
Following on from it proposals for reform, which we reported on at the end of last year (Corporate Governance Proposals), the UK Government has now published draft regulations, (the draft Companies (Miscellaneous Reporting) Regulations 2018) . The draft regulations will implement some of the proposals, in particular in relation to holding larger companies to account … Continue reading

UK Supreme Court holds that plumber engaged by Pimlico Plumbers was a “worker” and not a self-employed contractor

Global Workplace InsiderBy Claire Darbourne on Posted in Discrimination and harassment, Europe, UK
The Supreme Court has dismissed the latest appeal by Pimlico Plumbers Ltd (the Company) against the employment tribunal’s decision that one of its plumbers, Mr Smith, was a “worker” under the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) and the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR).   The Supreme Court held that, on the facts of … Continue reading
LexBlog