Employment law stories in the news – 09.10.2017 to 15.10.2017
In the latest of our series of posts on employment law stories in the news, we take a look at ten employment law stories that made headlines between 9 October and 15 October 2017
- Lewd antics of magistrate who dropped his trousers in front of a woman colleague… and won £15,000 payout for unfair dismissal – A factory worker has won £15,000 after being unfairly dismissed for dropping his trousers and simulating sex with a table in front of a younger woman colleague (The Daily Mail)
- Thousands of employees sue Morrisons for data leak – Thousands of supermarket staff should be compensated for the “upset and distress” caused by their personal details being posted on the internet, the High Court has been told (The Times)
- Royal Mail halts 48-hour strike after obtaining high court injunction – Royal Mail has halted Britain’s first planned national walkout by postal workers since it was privatised, after successfully applying for a high court injunction (The Guardian)
- King of Ghana handed £350,000 in cash to British bank official who was then sacked from his job for ‘money laundering’ – A top banking executive was fired from his job and investigated by the National Crime Agency after he deposited £350,000 in cash handed to him by the King of Ghana (The Daily Mail)
- Lecturer made redundant amid role confusion wins £55,000 – A former college lecturer who was dismissed after her employer said it no longer needed somebody in the role she was originally hired for has won £55,000 (CIPD)
- Courier boss ‘shocked’ at firm’s treatment of gig economy workers – A boss at courier firm Hermes has apologised to MPs over a case in which a driver’s contract was cancelled because he was unable to work due to the premature birth of a child (The Times and Star)
- Foster carer fights for workers’ rights – A foster carer is launching a legal claim to argue for workers’ rights for people in her role. Sarah Anderson is used by Hampshire County Council but does not have the rights of a “worker”, such as holiday pay or discrimination protection (BBC)
- Sex discrimination: female chef excluded from working at all-male barbecue – An employment tribunal held that a female chef was discriminated against when she was rejected for extra work at a private event on the basis of her gender (Personnel Today)
- Construction firm fined after worker fell from height – West Hill Projects Ltd has been fined more than £95,000 after a worker fell from height. Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court heard that on 5 December 2016 the individual was working next to a large opening in a flat roof on Wandle Road in London (HSE)
- Trainer who ‘humped table in office’ wins £15,000 at tribunal – A man who was accused of ‘humping’ a table in front of colleagues has won £15,000 at an employment tribunal after bringing a claim against his dismissal (CIPD)