The EHRC have issued 'Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for employers' to ensure the decisions they make in response to the pandemic do not directly or indirectly discriminate against employees with protected characteristics.
19 May 2020
The Government has published guidance for employers covering eight sectors where businesses are allowed to be open/operational to help them get back up and running and facilitate workplaces operating safely.
18 May 2020
The CIPD has published 'Coronavirus (COVID-19): returning to the workplace guide'. The guide highlights that employers need to plan now for what is likely to be staged return to the workplace over what could be prolonged periods. Their guiding principle should be how organisations take care of their people and safeguard their health and well-being.
14 May 2020
In B v Yodel Delivery Network Ltd, a Watford ET asked the ECJ whether a courier whose status was described as a ‘self-employed’ contractor, was a worker under the Working Time Directive (WTD). Unlike couriers/drivers in other gig economy platforms Yodel couriers have a lot of autonomy, i.e. Yodel are under no obligation to provide work and couriers can turn jobs down, they can appoint substitutes and are liable for their actions, they can choose when to deliver (within a time frame), and they can work for other delivery companies.
13 May 2020
In Allen v Paradigm Precision Burnley Limited an ET upheld ‘A’’s claim of sexual orientation harassment and direct discrimination (and claims victimisation and constructive unfair dismissal) which occurred after ‘A’ started to come out as being gay to select people in his team.
12 May 2020
Acas have issued specific advice on disciplinary and grievance procedures during the coronavirus pandemic confirming that the law and Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures still apply.
11 May 2020
The Department of Education (DoE) has launched a new online learning platform to help boost people’s skills while they are staying at home. Free courses are available through The Skills Toolkit which gives people access to “free, high-quality digital and numeracy courses to help build up their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects”.
7 May 2020
The House of Lords Economic Affairs Finance Bill Sub-Committee has written to HM Treasury setting out major concerns about the extension of the IR35 off payroll rules to the private sector in April 2021 and requesting postponement until the difficulties identified have been resolved.
6 May 2020
In NH v Associazione Avvocatura per i diritti LGBTI, a lawyer had stated, in an interview given during a radio programme, that he would not wish to recruit homosexual persons to his firm nor to use the services of such persons in his firm.
5 May 2020
The Maternity Allowance, Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay, Statutory Shared Parental Pay and Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay (Normal Weekly Earnings etc.) (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 came into force on 25 April 2020.
4 May 2020
