News

Harpur Trust v Brazel – Government begins consultation process

On Thursday 12th January 2023 the Government started a consultation process to ensure that holiday pay and entitlement received by workers is proportionate to the time they spend working. In July 2022, the Supreme Court handed down its judgment on Harpur Trust v Brazel.  This case concerned the calculation of holiday pay and entitlement of a … Read more

Millions of Britons to be able to request flexible working on day one of employment

Millions of employees will receive day one right to request flexible working, giving employees greater access to flexibility over where, when, and how they work, leading to happier, more productive staff. Flexible working has been found to help employees balance their work and home life, especially supporting those who have commitments or responsibilities such as … Read more

No duty to make reasonable adjustments where employee refused to participate in interview for a reason unconnected to disability (EAT)

The EAT considered whether the duty to make reasonable adjustments arose where a disabled employee refused to participate in an interview forming part of a redundancy process. The employee’s refusal was unconnected to his disability, but rather because he had lost confidence in his employer. Mr Hilaire suffered from depression and arthritis. As part of … Read more

Does an employer have to give a good reference for an employee?

There is a common misconception that a current or former employee is entitled to a ‘good’ reference or, more accurately, that an employer cannot make any negative comments about an employee.  This is simply wrong. The legal duties on employers in relation to references have been considered by the courts in a number of cases … Read more

Whistleblower – Mitigation of loss

In Hilco Capital Ltd v Harrington, the claimant was dismissed by her employer. She made a claim to the employment tribunal and succeeded in a complaint of unfair dismissal for whistleblowing. The claimant did not apply for any jobs in the period from her dismissal to the remedy hearing because she believed it would come … Read more

Vanishing dismissal”: successful appeal led to reinstatement even though employee did not want to return to work (EAT)

In Marangakis v Iceland Foods Limited [2022] EAT 161, the EAT considered whether an original dismissal still vanishes where an employee expressly no longer seeks reinstatement but continues with their appeal. Ms Marangakis was dismissed for alleged gross misconduct in January 2019 and appealed, indicating that she wished to be reinstated. Subsequently, she changed her … Read more