An Employment Appeal Tribunal has upheld the decision that Dr Mackereth, a Christian doctor, was not discriminated against by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for refusing to refer to transgender clients by their preferred pronouns. Dr M explained his beliefs during his induction…
From this Friday (1 July 2022), nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists and physiotherapists working in GP practices or in hospitals will be able to issue and sign fitness for work certificates in just the same way that GPs can. This change follows on from the digitalisation…
Did you know that more than 3,300 workers at 70 UK employers are currently participating in a trial where they are working 80% of their time (over a four day week for a full-time employee) whilst still receiving 100% of their pay? In return, they…
We have just had our very first Employment Tribunal in the UK giving someone disability status by virtue of them having contracted COVID-19, which led to post viral fatigue syndrome (and what we are tending to call Long COVID). A charity caretaker, Terence Burke, worked…
Beware of saying that maternity leave is like a holiday or that women essentially have it easy because they get to take it. Susanne Rice, a former Operations Manager with Flint Studios, brought a Tribunal claim for sex and age discrimination against it with the…
Police Scotland have paid a former female firearms officer just under £1 million by way of a settlement agreement to end litigation, following an Employment Tribunal decision handed down in September 2021. The Tribunal had found the Claimant to have been victimised within the workplace…
An Employment Tribunal panel (comprised of three men) has just ruled in the case before it that there was “a connection” between the word “bald” and the “protected characteristic of sex”. The term “bald” was used as an insult. This was classed as a form…
Big changes are afoot with respect to GP fitness for work certificates in an attempt to reduce pressure on GPs and simplify the process of reporting sickness absences and obtaining fit notes. Since Wednesday of this week (6 April 2022), it is no longer a…
A new “road map” published yesterday is embracing the ongoing use of video hearings within the Employment Tribunal. It indicates that preliminary hearings will continue to take place remotely via video (as well as telephone for routine case management ones). Similarly, simple final hearings dealing…
The bands of awards for injury to feelings, known as the Vento bands, will be increasing by 8% for claims presented on or after 6 April 2022 to the following: Lower band: £990 to £9,900 (less serious cases) Middle band: £9,900 to £29,600 (cases that…