Trade Unionist Obtains Leave to Apply for Judicial Review
Northumberland and Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust lost their Employment Tribunal case against Mr Bakhsh in July 2010. Mr Bakhsh had been employed by them for over 20 years. The dismissal was found to be automatically…
Forced Retirement Still Possible - The Supreme Court Dismisses the Seldon Case
The Supreme Court yesterday unanimously dismissed Mr Seldon's appeal in this long running age discrimination case. Lady Hale's lead Judgment analysed the scope of the defence of "justification" in direct age…
HR Update - Discrimination
A recent ruling from the European Court confirms that there is no automatic right for an interviewee who apparently meets the requirements of a potential position to obtain access to the successful candidates file.…
*UPDATE* Should legal representation be allowed at disciplinary hearings?
We have previously written about the trend towards allowing legal representation at disciplinary hearings where the outcome could affect the employee's profession. In the case of R (on the application of G)…
Trend For Home Working During Olympics And Beyond
The employment team at Wake Smith are advising businesses to get to grips with the realities of home working as the UK government encourages more of us to set up work from home to assist with congestion surrounding…
"Exit packages" and compromise agreements
Exit packages or compromise agreements are offered when an employee leaves employment - either through resigning, being made redundant or dismissed. Here's some useful advice from Holly Dobson, Partner in the Employment…
The Bribery Act comes into force today - Are you prepared?
After a delay in its implementation, the new Bribery Act comes into force today. The Act deals principally with the following areas: Individuals who commit bribery; Organisations who fail to prevent bribery…
Are "geordies" a protected species in the UK?
So, was Cheryl Cole sacked from the US version of X Factor because of her regional accent? Much has been debated in the press as to whether her ejection from the show was discriminatory action by the producers,…
Reforms and Restrictions in Employment Law
The current Government has made plain their intentions to simplify and, in some cases, restrict some of the employment legislation which has been introduced over the past 15 years. Important changes employers need…
Whistleblowing - What every employer and employee needs to know
Corporate Governance is an increasingly hot topic. Businesses are getting to grips with the new Bribery Act 2010 (which requires "adequate procedures" to prevent bribery, amongst other matters). The UK Corporate…
