In Slade and others v Biggs and others Mrs Melissa Biggs and Ms Roxanne Stewart were both employed by Aethelbert Limited, which operates Woodlands Castle and Maunsel House in Somerset as venues for weddings and other events. These are properties which belong to Sir Benjamin Slade or to entities related to him.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 13 January 2022
Data released by leading gender equality campaigning charity, the Fawcett Society, shows that just 34% of the 4,980 councillors elected in May were women. This means that, at this rate of change, there won’t be gender parity in local councils until 2077 – over 50 years away. Across England women make up just 35% of the total number of councillors – less than a 1% increase since the 2019 elections.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 12 January 2022
In the case of Mrs Natalie McGonigle v WM Morrisons Supermarkets Plc a supermarket team leader pulled down her Muslim colleague's hijab without her consent on 'two separate occasions' in acts which were deemed 'disrespectful' towards the colleague's religion. The East London tribunal heard Mrs McGonigle had worked for Morrisons for four years and at the time of the incident when managers at the store received a complaint that Mrs McGonigle had twice pulled down her colleague's hijab without her consent the previous month.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 11 January 2022
Legal Futures reports that a woman’s fear of catching Covid-19 and the need to protect herself and others is not a philosophical belief for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. Employment Judge Mark
Leach in Manchester said this meant she was not discriminated against on the grounds of religion or belief when she refused to go to work.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 10 January 2022
In the case of Ward v Arthur Branwell & Co. Limited Andrew Ward was a food chemist for food company Arthur Branwell, which is partly based in Braintree, and makes food additives. Mr Ward worked at the company for ten years as its sole analytical chemist.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 10 January 2022
In Collins v Steris IMS Ltd Ross Collins was a medical firm manager who was sacked after he told bosses he had to go home sick - but was photographed at the airport hours later with a burger and pint, a tribunal heard. Mr Collins had booked time off work for a trip to Cyprus from the following day when his flight was actually booked due to take off 24 hours earlier.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 7 January 2022
The SNP has called on the UK Government to either strengthen employment law or devolve it to Holyrood in order to close the ongoing gender pay gap. In 2021 the average woman in Scotland earned 11.6 per cent less than the average man, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, while across the UK as a whole the average woman earned 15.4 per cent less.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 7 January 2022
An employee’s actions outside of work can have repercussions on their employer even over incidents that occur in their private life especially if posted on social media. Sarah Moulds, a primary school teacher, was sacked by her school after footage of a horse being hit by a woman went viral.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 6 January 2022
The Guardian reports that a senior barrister who sued the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after a colleague asked him to stop breaking wind in the room they worked in together has lost his case. Tarique Mohammed sued for harassment and told an employment tribunal that his repetitive flatulence was caused by medication he was on for a heart condition.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 6 January 2022
The BBC reports that . From Monday, workers will receive a £60 fixed penalty notice and companies hit with fines of £1,000 every time they break the rule. Until now there has just been guidance encouraging home working.
Article by: Makbool Javaid, Partner - Simons Muirhead & Burton 5 January 2022