Topic: UK

It’s not discriminatory to pay enhanced pay during maternity leave but only statutory pay during shared parental leave

By Claire Darbourne on April 16, 2018 Posted in Europe, UK

In the UK, only female employees are eligible for statutory maternity leave. They are also eligible for statutory maternity pay at a fixed rate during such leave subject to certain conditions – and it is common for employers to pay enhanced maternity pay during periods of maternity leave. Whilst many employers do not pay enhanced … Continue reading

Changes to taxation of termination payments – April 2018

By Amanda Sanders on April 6, 2018 Posted in UK

Changes to taxation of termination payments came into force in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2018. The new rules will mean that income tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) will be payable on all payments which relate to an employee’s notice period. The position prior to 6 April was that a “termination payment” (being … Continue reading

The fairness of a misconduct dismissal

By Amanda Sanders on March 21, 2018 Posted in UK

A recent case has considered whether a school was entitled to summarily dismiss a head teacher for her failure to disclose a personal relationship with a convicted sex offender. In the case of Reilly v Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council Mrs Reilly was dismissed after she failed to disclose her friendship with a convicted sex offender, … Continue reading

The UK Government’s Good Work Plan and the Gig economy

By Claire Darbourne on March 14, 2018 Posted in Europe, General, UK

Further to our post on the UK Government’s announcement (7 February 2018) of its Good Work plan following the Taylor review of Modern Working Practices published in July last year (the Review), the Government’s full response has now been published (the Response) together with the four consultation documents promised. The key proposals detailed in the … Continue reading

ICO updates its subject access Code of Practice

By Amanda Sanders on March 12, 2018 Posted in Data privacy and GDPR, Europe, UK

The Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK (ICO) has updated its Subject Access Code of Practice (the Code) which deals with requests from individuals for personal information. The amendments are mainly to reflect the Court of Appeal’s decisions in the recent cases of Dawson-Damer and others v Taylor Wessing LLP [2017] EWCA Civ 74 and … Continue reading

The UK Government’s Good Work Plan

By Claire Darbourne on February 7, 2018 Posted in Contracts, Europe, UK

(Note: Since drafting this post, the Government has published the consultation documents so a further update will follow.) The UK Government has today (7 February) announced its Good Work Plan (the Plan) in response to the Taylor review of Modern Working Practices published last year which set out a number of recommendations, in particular … Continue reading

AI and the future of work – UK Prime Minister puts Modern Industrial Strategy at the centre of the Government’s agenda

By Claire Darbourne on January 30, 2018 Posted in Europe, UK

In her speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Theresa May focused on the UK Government’s plan to develop a Modern Industrial Strategy to best harness the huge potential of the technological advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) whilst addressing the profound concerns about any negative consequences. Modern Industrial Strategy The Prime Minister … Continue reading

Employment and Financial Services

By Amanda Sanders on January 12, 2018 Posted in Europe, UK

On 7 March 2016 the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) was introduced to improve accountability in the financial services sector. The SM&CR applies to UK banks, building societies, credit unions, PRA designated investment firms and branches of foreign banks operating in the UK. It consists of three elements: the Senior Managers Regime (SMR), the … Continue reading

Enforcement of the right to paid holiday under the UK Working Time Regulations ruled incompatible with the EU Directive

By Claire Darbourne on November 29, 2017 Posted in Europe, UK

The Court of Justice of the European Union (ECJ) has ruled that the method of enforcement of the right to paid holiday in the UK Working Time Regulations (WTR) is incompatible with the EU Working Time Directive. This is because, if an employer refuses to pay a worker for a period of holiday, under the … Continue reading

A Framework for Modern Employment – House of commons report.

By Amanda Sanders on November 23, 2017 Posted in UK

The Work and Pensions and Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committees have published a joint report on “A framework for modern employment” (the Report) which considers how the employment framework should be amended to reflect the modern workplace. The Report acknowledges that “the expansion of self-employment and business models built around flexible work on digital … Continue reading

Uber appeal – Drivers have worker status

By Amanda Sanders on November 14, 2017 Posted in UK

The EAT has dismissed Uber’s appeal against the employment tribunal’s decision that its drivers are ‘workers’ within the meaning of S.230(3)(b) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA 1996) and the equivalent definitions in the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 (NMWA 1998) and the Working Time Regulations 1998 (WTR 1998). The EAT held that the … Continue reading

What rights does an employer have to suspend an employee in the UK?

By Claire Darbourne on November 8, 2017 Posted in Europe, UK

What rights does an employer have to suspend an employee in the UK? During an investigation into an allegation of misconduct against an employee, an employer may wish to suspend the employee from work if there is, for example, a potential threat to the business or other employees or individuals, or where it is not … Continue reading

Employment Tribunal Fees – Refund Scheme

By Amanda Sanders on October 20, 2017 Posted in Europe, UK

The government announced the first stage of its employment tribunal fees refund scheme on 20 October 2017. As set out in our previous post https://www.globalworkplaceinsider.com/2017/07/uk-employment-tribunal-fees-unlawful/ the Supreme Court in the UK handed down its judgement on 26 July 2017, holding that the introduction of fees in the Employment tribunals was unlawful. As a result of … Continue reading

Criminal Finances Act 2017 – Employers liability

By Amanda Sanders on October 3, 2017 Posted in UK, Whistleblowing

The Criminal Finances Act 2017 came into force in the UK on 30 September 2017. It introduces new corporate criminal offences of failing to prevent an employee, agent or any other person who is performing services for the organisation from criminally facilitating the evasion of tax, whether the tax is owed in the UK or in … Continue reading

Restrictive covenants in UK contracts of employment

By Amanda Sanders on September 29, 2017 Posted in Contracts, UK

In the UK, a post termination restrictive covenant will be void for being in restraint of trade unless the employer has a legitimate business interest to protect and the protection sought is no more than is reasonable to protect that interest. The interests which can be protected are clients, staff, and confidential information. One type … Continue reading

Corporate Governance Reform – Pay ratios and Employee Representation

By Amanda Sanders on August 31, 2017 Posted in Europe, UK

The UK Government has published proposals for corporate governance reforms to enhance the public’s trust in business. In particular, the reforms consider the publication of pay ratios between bosses and workers and new measures to ensure that the employee’s voice is heard in the boardroom. The first section of the report looks at the plans … Continue reading

Holiday pay – Regular voluntary overtime should be included

By Amanda Sanders on August 18, 2017 Posted in Europe, UK

A recent decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal has held that employees who regularly work voluntary overtime beyond their contracted hours may now have those payments taken into account in calculating holiday pay. Article 7 of the Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC) (WTD) provides that workers have the right to at least four weeks’ paid annual … Continue reading

UK Employment Tribunal Fees Unlawful

By Amanda Sanders on July 27, 2017 Posted in Discrimination and harassment, Europe, UK

The Supreme Court in the UK handed down its judgement on 26 July 2017, holding that the introduction of fees in the Employment tribunals prevents access to justice and is unlawful under both domestic and EU law. This is a very significant decision in the field of employment law and the enforcement of employment rights. … Continue reading

What impact will Brexit have on UK employment law?

By Claire Darbourne on July 17, 2017 Posted in Europe, UK

As reported on the blog last year, the result of the EU referendum in the UK on 23 June 2016 was that the UK should leave the EU. Since then, formal notice of withdrawal was served on 29 March 2017 which means that the UK’s exit from the EU will take place once agreement is … Continue reading

Whistleblowing – what amounts to the public interest?

By Amanda Sanders on July 14, 2017 Posted in Europe, UK, Whistleblowing

A recent Court of Appeal decision has confirmed that a disclosure which is in the private interest of the worker can still be considered to be in the ‘public interest’ and therefore fall within the whistleblower protection included in the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. However, it did confirm that any decision will depend on … Continue reading

Modern Workplaces – Wide ranging recommendations in the Taylor Report

By Amanda Sanders on July 14, 2017 Posted in Contracts, Europe, UK

The long awaited Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices was published on 11 July. The recommendations from the review throw some interesting questions into the mix. The general theme is the need for an adaptable, consistent and protected community in which employment and security of workers can prosper. It will be interesting to see how … Continue reading

ICO updates its subject access Code of Practice

By Amanda Sanders on July 13, 2017 Posted in Data privacy and GDPR, Europe, UK

Theresa May sets out her offer for the rights of EU citizens after Brexit

By Claire Darbourne on June 28, 2017 Posted in Europe, UK

Until the UK withdraws from the EU, EU law will continue to apply in the UK and so the rights of EU citizens and their family members to live and work in the UK remain unchanged. However, after Brexit, free movement rights will come to an end. On 26 June 2017 Theresa May briefed MPs … Continue reading