Emplaw Monthly - End of November 2018
NEWS
EMPLOYER/EE GUIDANCE/ADVISOR NEED TO KNOW
Guide on employing people with a disability or health condition
The Department for Work and Pensions has published a practical guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition.
Acas advice on performance management processes
Acas has published useful advice after its research revealed that only one in four employers confirmed that their performance management systems are adapted for staff with special needs, disabilities and conditions such as dyslexia and autism. The short guidance covers how to get performance management right; measuring staff performance; maintaining effective performance management arrangements and developing staff.
http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6608
The data protection charge – do you need to pay?
The ICO has concluded its Review of exemptions from paying charges to the ICO and concludes that the government does not believe there was a strong case made for any particular new exemption to be introduced at this time
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-exemptions-from-paying-charges-to-the-ico
There is a useful online self-assessment tool to help controllers assess whether they need to pay the fee
https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/data-protection-fee/
Regulatory References regime applies to senior managers at insurers from 10 December 2018
The Senior Managers & Certification Regime will extend to insurers and reinsurers from 10 December 2018.
In November 2018 the PRA published a policy statement (PS27/18) which provides the final set of rules for the implementation of the extension of the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) to insurers.
Regulatory references will extend to all senior managers and certification staff working for insurers covered by the SMCR and it is vital that firms put arrangements in place to ensure compliance with the rules. For more information see the Emplaw law card Regulatory References
The Ministry of Justice has confirmed it may reintroduce fees for employment tribunal claims
Gender pay gap reporting - what have the reports shown, and new guidance for solicitors
The Government Equalities Office has published s summary of gender pay gap information provided by employers for 2017/18. The key points arising are set out in the recent article from Emplaw authors Moordcrofts Gender Pay Gap Reporting – summary of progress so far
Meanwhile the Law Society for England & Wales has produced guidance for law firms entitled Gender pay gap reporting: Setting the standard for the profession
From 6 December 2018, solicitors required to publish fee and other information
From 6 December 2018, firms regulated by the law society will be required to publish information about certain price, service and regulatory matters.
The Law Society has issued a practice note to explain and assist at
CONSULTATIONS AND REPORTS
Inquiry into use of Non-Disclosure Agreements in harassment and discrimination cases
The Women and Equalities Committee has launched an inquiry into NDAs, specifically to look at the wider use of such agreements in cases where any form of harassment or other discrimination is alleged. This might include for example pregnancy or maternity discrimination or racist abuse.
Acas research on reporting sexual harassment
Acas has published research on sexual harassment that reveals that only one in four workers agree that international media coverage has helped to improve their workplace culture.
The poll also found that
· Four in ten workers said that they would be ‘very likely’ to report sexual harassment if they personally experienced it in the workplace
· Six out of ten workers believe that their current employer is doing the right amount to reduce sexual harassment
· 46% of workers believe that ‘making changes to the wider culture of the company’ would be effective in preventing sexual harassment.
http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/8/k/Sexual_harassment_in_the_British_workplace.pdf
Women on Boards – third report from the Hampton Alexander Review
The Hampton Alexander Review has published its third report and focuses on increasing the numbers of women in senior positions in FTSE 350 companies. The report welcomes the new Corporate Governance Code which requires companies to address the shortfall of women in leadership roles. There is more on the Corporate Governance Code in the Emplaw card on Company Directors
Review of banks’ whistleblowing arrangements
The FCA has published the results of a review on how the regulatory whistleblowing rules have been implemented giving examples of good practice and setting out areas for improvement.
LEGISLATION UPDATE
Shared Parental Leave and Pay (Extension) Bill for workers, including the self employed
This Private Member’s Bill is intended to make provision about shared parental leave and pay for workers, including those that are self-employed and aims to extend statutory maternity allowance to a mother’s self-employed partner. The text of the Bill has now been published and it is expected to have its second reading debate on Friday 25 January 2019.
https://services.parliament.uk/Bills/2017-19/sharedparentalleaveandpayextension.html
Brexit: arrangements in the event of a no-deal
Back in August, the government published guidance on Workplace rights if there’s no Brexit deal.
In accordance with matters set out in the notice, the government has published draft regulations which make amendments to employment law to reflect the UK’s withdrawal from the EU in the event that there is no deal with the EU. They are not aimed at making substantive changes but there will be some effect for European Work Councils,
For more insight, please see the Emplaw article Deal or No Deal Brexit – What does it mean for employment law?
Employment Rights (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (the SI) and The Employment Rights (Amendment) (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2018.
Addison Lee Ltd v Lange & Ors [2018] UKEAT 0037/18
Couriers working for Addison Lee were workers
In this case, the EAT has upheld the ET’s finding that couriers working for Addison Lee were limb (b) workers and that time spent logged on other than break times was ‘working time’.
Regulation 2(1) of the Working Time Regulations 1998 provides that:
" "worker" means an individual who has entered into or works under (or, where the employment has ceased, worked under) -
Kreuziger [2018] EUECJ C-619/16 Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Wissenschaften [2018] EUECJ C-684/16
No right to exclude right to carry forward holiday unless employer can show it enabled the worker to exercise the right
Article 7 of the Working Time Directive 2003/88/EC provides:
‘1. Member States shall take the measures necessary to ensure that every worker is entitled to paid annual leave of at least four weeks in accordance with the conditions for entitlement to, and granting of, such leave laid down by national legislation and/or practice.
Evans v Xactly Corporation Ltd [2018] UKEAT 0128_18
Wood v Durham county Council UKEAT/0099/18
Martin v University of Exeter [2018] UKEAT 0092/18
Barnard v Hampshire Fire & Rescue UKEAT/0179/18
O'Brien [2018] EUECJ C-432/17
Pension of part time judge to take full service into account where the accrual of pension entitlement extended over periods both prior to and after the deadline for transposition of the Part-Time Workers Directive
Clause 4 of the Part-Time Workers Directive 97/81 EC (the Directive) provides
British Airways Plc v Pinaud [2018] EWCA Civ 2427
Part time cabin crew less favourably treated than full time comparator
Regulation 5 of the Part-Time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable) Treatment Regulations 2000 ("the PTW Regulations") provides:-
"5.—(1) A part-time worker has the right not to be treated by his employer less favourably than the employer treats a comparable full-time worker—
(a) as regards the terms of his contract; or