Emplaw Monthly - End of Summer 2017
New to Emplaw Online
Invitation to free employment law conferences in Nottingham, Birmingham and London
Emplaw Online authors Shakespeare Martineau invite HR professionals and senior managers with HR responsibility/awareness to conferences on Employing a workforce fit for a global future. Content will include a round up of key recent cases impacting on HR practice as well as optional workshops on
Brexit and Immigration
Modern Ways of Working aka “Gig Economy”
Performance Management
Managing Absence
Click here for more information
Voluntary Overtime and Holiday Pay
Emplaw Online author, Nathaniel Caiden, considers the recent EAT judgment in Dudley MBC v Willetts UKEAT/0334/16/JOJ concerning the inclusion of voluntary overtime normally worked in calculating holiday pay
Click here for the blog
Supreme Court ruling that employment tribunal fees unlawful – what does it mean for employers?
Click here for an article by Emplaw Online authors, Gowling WLG which considers questions such as: What about fees already paid?: Are fees gone forever?: Will tribunals allow late claims?
See also our up-to- date item in the News section
An international recruiter’s dilemma
Click here for an article from Emplaw Online on how to avoid discrimination whilst running an efficient recruitment process attracting applicants from around the world
Focus on Emplaw Online content
Recruitment generally rises after the summer break and,as well as the article above, we have a series of useful guides from excellent law firm Ortolan Legal including Recruitment/key card - an overview of matters to consider in the recruitment process. For the full list of our cards on Recruitment click here.
Following last month's decision in Agoreyo v London Borough of Lambeth [2017] EWHC 2019 (25022) reminding us that suspension is not necessarily a neutral act, our guide on Disciplinary Procedures from leading law firm Goodman Derrick is an essential read. For the full list of our cards on Rights at Work please click here.
Full content is available to Emplaw Online subscribers only.
Employment Law News
Tribunal Fees - Stay on claims lifted and update on fee reimbursement
On 18th August 2017, the President of the Employment Tribunal in England & Wales and the President of the Employment Tribunal in Scotland issued case management orders to lift with immediate effect the stay which had been imposed on tribunal applications in reliance on this decision and confirming that all applications for reimbursement of fees and reinstatement of claims rejected or dismissed for non-payment of fees will need to be made in accordance with administrative arrangements to be announced by the Ministry of Justice. The order for England and Wales is at https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/case-management-order-no-131-president-employment-tribunals-e-and-w-re-unison-2-20170818.pdf and for Scotland is at https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/case-management-order-no-131-president-employment-tribunals-scotland-re-unison-2-20170818.pdf
Investigation into gender stereotyping in adverts
After a year-long inquiry the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has completed an igender stereotyping in UK adverts.
The ASA notes that given the diversity of beliefs a balance needs to be struck and that the importance of freedom of expression must be respected. Its focus is on gender stereotypes that, whether by depiction of roles or characteristics, invite the audience to make assumptions about their perceptions of themselves as well as question the opinions of others. An example given by the ASA is where a woman may be given sole responsibility for cleaning the family home. Many adverts have already attracted negative attention for gender-related issues.
Rise in state pension age review
Bereavement Bill introduced
The government has introduced a Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill which proposes giving statutory paid leave to grieve to employed parents who have lost a child.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/parental-bereavement-pay-and-leave-bill-introduced-today
The Repeal Bill: factsheet on workers’ rights
The government has published a factsheet on workers’ rights in the context of exiting the European Union. The government notes that in a number of areas, UK employment law already goes further than the minimum standards set out in EU legislation and the government has committed to protect and enhance the rights people have at work as the UK leaves the EU.
New principles for assessing pension loss in tribunals
The ET presidents have published new principles on pension loss compensation in tribunals, together with associated presidential guidance. .
https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/publications/employment-rules-and-legislation-practice-directions/
Vento bands increased
The ET Presidents have released a Joint Response following last month's consultation on the Vento bands (compensation for injury to feelings awards, as distinct from compensation awards for psychiatric or similar personal injury) as identified in the case Vento v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police (No. 2) [2002] EWCA Civ 1871, The response provides that the bands should be as folows:
- a lower band of £800 to £8,400 (less serious cases);
- a middle band of £8,400 to £25,200 (cases that did not merit an award in the upper band); and
- an upper band of £25,200 to £42,000 (the most serious cases), with the most exceptional cases capable of exceeding £42,000.
Joint Presidential Guidance is being issued to take effect from 11 September 2017.
https://www.judiciary.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/vento-consultation-response-20170904.pdf
UK data protection laws - repeal of DPA 1998
The government has published a statement of intent, committing it to updating and strengthening data protection laws through a new Data Protection Bill. The Bill will update current provisions and hence repeal the current Data Protection Act 1998 and incorporate the European General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) which were agreed last year and come into force in May 2018,
Under the plans individuals will have more control over their data by having the right to be forgotten and ask for their personal data to be erased. This will also mean that people can ask social media channels to delete information they posted in their childhood.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-strengthen-uk-data-protection-law
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/general-data-protection-regulation-call-for-views
Information Commissioner’s Office 'myth-busting' blog
Elizabeth Denham, the Information Commissioner has launched a useful series of blogs on consent, guidance, the burden on business and breach reporting..
https://iconewsblog.org.uk/2017/08/09/gdpr-sorting-the-fact-from-the-fiction/
Acas guidance on supporting trans employees in the workplace
Acas has published a new research paper on supporting trans and intersex employees in the workplace. It is published as part of the suite of information from Acas to increase understanding of gender reassignment discrimination in the workplace and setting out best practice for employers and colleagues to also support employees with non-binary identities.
http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2064
Corporate governance reform- proposals published
Government has published the outcome of the Consultation on Corporate governance reform
Proposals include changes to the UK Corporate Governance Code and also introducing regulations
- to require quoted companies to report annually the ratio of CEO pay to the average pay of their UK workforce; and
- to require companies of 'significant size' to explain how their directors comply with the requirements of section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 (to have regard to employee and other interests in promoting the success of the company)
The current intention is to bring the reforms into effect by June 2018 to apply to company reporting years commencing on or after that date.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/corporate-governance-reform
Consultation on extending senior managers and certification regime to all FSMA authorised firms
The FCA and the PRA have published consultation papers proposing to extend the senior managers and certification regime to all firms authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Consultation closes on 2 November 2017 with policy papers expected in early 2018. A date will be set by HM Treasury for implementation in 2018.
https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/consultation/cp17-25.pdf
https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/consultation/cp17-26.pdf
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/pra/Documents/publications/cp/2017/cp1417.pdf
EHRC strategy to reduce pay gaps
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has published its strategy on what needs to change and who needs to take action to reduce gender, ethnicity and disability pay gaps. The recommendations are based on new evidence from EHRC research into the size and causes of these pay gaps, and whether interventions so far have been successful.
Kleinsteuber [2017] EUECJ C-354/16
No discrimination against part-timers for split pension formula
This reference for a preliminary ruling concerns the interpretation of Clause 4.1 and 4.2 of the Framework Agreement on part-time work, concluded on 6 June 1997 (‘the Framework Agreement’).
Clause 4.1 to 4.4 of the Framework Agreement provides:
‘Clause 4: Principle of non-discrimination
International Petroleum Ltd & Ors v Osipov & Ors [2017] UKEAT 0058/17
NEDs jointly and severally liable for detriments amounting to dismissal for protected disclosures
Mr Osipov was employed by International Petroleum, a gas and exploration company, until his dismissal in 2014. After starting a role as CEO of International Petroleum he made a number of protected disclosures related to the company’s oil exploration in Niger and further detriments attributed to two non-executive directors.
Abercrombie & Fitch Italia [2017] EUECJ C-143/16
No age discrimination for offering zero hours contracts on age restrictions designed to give young people access to labour market
Article 1 of Directive 2000/78 (the Framework Directive) states that its purpose is to lay down a general framework for combating discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation as regards employment and occupation. Article 2 provides:
OCS Group UK Ltd v Dadi & Ors [2017] EWHC 1727
Williams v The Trustees of Swansea University Pension & Assurance Scheme & Anor [2017] EWCA Civ 1008
No disability discrimination under terms of pension scheme
Section 15 (1) of the Equality Act 2010 provides that –
"A person (A) discriminates against a disabled person (B) if-
a) A treats B unfavourably because of something arising in consequence of B's disability, and
b) A cannot show that the treatment is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim."
Ville de Nivelle v Matzak Case C-518/15
Chard v Trowbridge Office Cleaning Services Ltd [2017] UKEAT 0254/16
Gascoigne v Addison Lee Ltd [2017] UKET 2200436/2016
BAE Systems (Operations) Ltd v Konczak [2017] EWCA Civ 1188
Agoreyo v London Borough of Lambeth [2017] EWHC 2019
Suspension not a neutral act in some types of employment and can be breach of contract by employer
The view of the courts is that suspension is not a neutral act. In Mezey v South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust the Court of Appeal held that suspension was not a neutral act, at least in relation to the employment of a qualified professional which is as much a vocation as a job.
Efobi v Royal Mail Group Ltd [2017] UKEAT 0203/16
Trayhorn v The Secretary of State for Justice [2017] UKEAT 0304/16
No indirect discrimination for final warning for quoting homophobic comments from Bible
This case concerns a claim of indirect discrimination.
EqA section 19 provides:
“(1) A person (A) discriminates against another (B) if A applies to B a provision, criterion or practice which is discriminatory in relation to a relevant protected characteristic of B’s.
UNISON, R (on the application of) v Lord Chancellor [2017] UKSC 51
Supreme Court rules ET fees are unlawful
The Supreme Court quashed the exisitng system for fees for employment tribunal claims on the grounds that the system is unlawful. This decision overturned two High Court decisions and a Court of Appeal judgment. The Supreme Court decided that the government acted outside its powers when it introduced fees at existing levels, because the fees effectively prevent access to justice and also indirectly discriminate against women.