News

Employment Appeals Tribunal considers if dismissing a teacher at an ultra-orthodox Jewish nursery who refused to lie about living with her boyfriend is discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief

Ms De Groen was employed as a teacher in a Jewish nursery. The nursery was run by Gan Menachem Hendon Ltd in accordance with ultra-orthodox Chabad principles. At a barbeque where parents were present, the teacher’s boyfriend revealed that they lived together which was against the beliefs of ultra-orthodox Jews. The teacher was dismissed after … Read more

Does a school 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. In the education sector a useful starting point is the School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2680) which states that … Read more

Employee unfairly dismissed for failing drugs test

In Ball v First Essex Buses Limited ET 3201435/2017 an Employment Tribunal decided an employee was unfairly dismissed for gross misconduct when he failed a routine drug test. The Law An employer must hold such investigation as is “reasonable in all the circumstances” when investigating a potential misconduct issue (Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd v Hitt [2002] … Read more

Parents who lose a child to be entitled to bereavement leave.

A new workplace right to paid leave for bereaved parents has been officially enshrined in law on Thursday 13 September 2018 as the Parental Leave and Pay Bill achieves Royal Assent. The first law of its kind in the UK will support those affected by the tragedy of childhood mortality and is expected to come … Read more