Whistleblowing
Can co-workers be liable for whistleblowing dismissals along with the employer?
We Support Mental Health First Aid
It seems, at long last, that we are finally getting somewhere with regard to the provision of mental ill health first aid.
Vicarious Liability
Is an employer liable for a drunken assault which happens after a work party has finished? Sometimes, said the Court of Appeal in Bellman v Northampton Recruitment. Mr Major was managing director of Northampton Recruitment.
Unfair Dismissal
Should an employer always have a meeting before dismissing an employee for some other substantial reason (SOSR)? Not always, said the Employment Appeal Tribunal in Hawkes v Ausin Group.
Consultation on Reforming Employment Law Hearings
The Law Commission has issued a consultation paper on reforming the court structure for employment law and associated claims. It is seeking views on several issues including:
Harassment
Is it harassment to call an employee a ‘fat ginger pikey’? Not in Evans v Xactly the Employment Appeal Tribunal has said. The employee was a sales executive with type 1 diabetes and links to the traveller community.
Data Protection Breach
Is an employer responsible for the actions of an employee who has ‘gone rogue’ and deliberately posted sensitive employee data online? Yes, the Court of Appeal has said in Morrisons v Various Claimants. Mr Skelton was an internal auditor at Morrisons. He had been recently disciplined and held a grudge against the company. He took…
Road Safety Week
In 2000, an independent work-related road safety task group carried out a survey, which established that up to a third of all road traffic accidents involve someone who is at work at the time. This is likely to account for over 20 fatalities and 250 serious injuries every week. While employers have no control over…
Sentencing Council Guidelines – Gross Negligence Manslaughter
From 1st November 2018 anyone found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter now faces the risk of going to prison for anywhere between 1 and 18 years. It seems that over the past few years there have been more gross negligent manslaughter charges brought against directors and managers of companies than ever before.
Asbestos Deaths Continue to Rise
The number of mesothelioma deaths had risen to 2,595 with a similar number of lung cancer deaths and the number of asbestosis deaths had risen to 500.