Recent Posts
Employment claims rise at highest rate for five years
New figures published by the Ministry of Justice show that in the period from April to June 2018, the number of single claims received by...
13/09/18CBI publishes guide to help employers tackle mental stress
The Confederation of British Industry has published guidance for employers on how to tackle health and wellbeing after finding that the...
13/09/18Apprentice winner claims 85% of interviewers admit to asking "off limits" questions
According to research undertaken by Ricky Martin's* recruitment firm, HRS, over three-quarters (77%) of interviewers surveyed said they...
13/09/18Will good things come to those who wait? MHCLG needs 'a bit of time to chew on' its response to the consultation on CIL Reform
Last week, the Planning Minister, Kit Malthouse, appeared before the Communities and Local Government Committee (CLG) Committee to give...
12/09/18A glass half full for the boutique drinks market
The continued rise of boutique drinks producers shows no signs of slowing down with the news that The Lakes Distillery are exploring the...
11/09/18The sums add up for the private education sector
The acquisition of Cognita by Jacobs Holdings for £2bn, including debt, reflects the continued interest in private education for...
06/09/18Can you only hold a disciplinary hearing during an employee's normal working hours?
No, but in most cases, it is sensible to do so. There is no rule that says you are limited to holding disciplinary or grievance hearings...
05/09/18Doctor convicted of gross negligence manslaughter wins right to practice again
Last month, Dr Bawa-Garba, the junior doctor convicted of gross negligence manslaughter won the right to continue to practice medicine....
05/09/18Only six weeks old and the Revised NPPF is already in the Administrative Court
Whilst I may have suggested* that it would not be long before we saw our first judicial review challenge centred on the Revised NPPF; ...
05/09/18Will workers rights be diluted in a "no deal" Brexit?
The Government has recently published guidance on "Workplace rights if there’s no Brexit deal" which sets out to reassure workers that...
05/09/18The cost(a) of the changing high street?
On the same day that Homebase faces a critical vote on its future, Whitbread have announced the sale of Costa Coffee to Coca-Cola for...
31/08/18It's the Summer of Para 64 - the Revised NPPF, Affordable Housing & CIL ... or... why shared ownership is your new best friend (at least for the moment)
Nothing is ever simple when it comes to the interplay between national planning policy, local planning policies and the actual law. The...
24/08/18Can menopausal women bring discrimination claims?
Around 50% of women going through the menopause experience symptoms that affect their working life. With 3.5 million working women aged...
24/08/18"Equality rules" for children in schools unlawful
Schools and colleges may have to change their exclusion policies following a landmark judgment about a 11 year old boy excluded from...
22/08/18Teacher acquitted of rape loses enhanced criminal check appeal
A teacher was turned down for two jobs after an enhanced criminal record check revealed that he had been acquitted of raping a 17 year...
22/08/18Heatwaves and Housing : Planning for Climate Change
I am probably in the minority of people who did not enjoy the recent spell of extremely good weather*. Now the sunny snap appears to be...
15/08/18When do you have to postpone a disciplinary hearing?
You have invited a member of staff to a disciplinary hearing. They have asked you to postpone the hearing so their union official can...
15/08/18£16,000 awarded to Pizza Hut employee in sexual harassment case
An employment tribunal in East London has found in favour of an employee when she claimed sexual harassment. The tribunal found that the...
13/08/18No general equitable duty of good faith in lending relationships
In Standish v RBoS, recently reported, a customer tried to extend the duties a receiver owes to a borrower in a receivership to the whole...
08/08/18Do you want to increase diversity in your organisation? Our top tips will help you to decide whether to take "positive action"
Many organisations recognise that their workforces are not as diverse as they could be. Research shows that businesses with a healthy...
08/08/18Supreme Court to decide whether sleep in workers should be paid the NMW for their entire shift
We understand that the union Unison has lodged an appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision last month in Mencap v Tomlinson-Blake...
08/08/18Man bun hairstyle 'gets British Airways worker the sack'
A British Airways check in worker has been dismissed after only a couple of weeks in the job because his hair did not conform to BA's...
07/08/18Inquiry into the Enforcement of the Equality Act 2010
Legislation on workers' rights can be complex and difficult to understand, leading to challenges in enforcing individual rights through...
02/08/18Do unlimited holidays boost morale?
Most of us look forward to going on holiday (my husband is the exception - but let's not go there). So a policy that says you can take...
25/07/18CIL, Village Greens and Green Belt: A Case Law Round- Up
As Parliament appears to have been overtaken by a level of drama, intrigue and scandal usually reserved for an episode of Love Island*,...
20/07/18Breaking: Mencap wins appeal against 'unaffordable' sleep in shifts
The Court of Appeal has today issued a judgment that will have wide ranging implications for the care and other sectors relying on staff...
13/07/18Innovation and Planning: can the planning system adapt to 3D Printed Houses?
There has been a lot of discussion recently about new methods of construction, from modular, factory led methods of construction to...
06/07/18Extended leave for premature births?
Interesting question - although I would argue that if there's a need for extended leave for birth mothers, there is also a need for...
06/07/18Mind the Gaps: mixed messages, conflicts and trip hazards within the planning system.
As much as I love all things planning law (and I am real geek about my chosen area of practice... you may have noticed), even I have to...
29/06/18Pay Gap vs Equal Pay
This article nicely demonstrates the confusion often found in media coverage, between the issue of the gender pay gap and discrimination...
27/06/18