News & insights
Statutory benefit rate increases from April 2025
The Department for Work and Pensions has published planned statutory benefit rate increases from April 2025 as follows: Statutory sick pay (SSP) will be £118.75 (up from £116.75). Statutory maternity pay, maternity allowance, statutory paternity pay, statutory adoption pay, statutory shared parental pay, statutory parental bereavement pay will be £187.18 (up from £184.03). The lower […]
Read MoreEmployment Rights Bill – consultations
The Government has launched four consultations on some of its key proposals on workplace rights and protections under the Employment Rights Bill. Consultation on legislative framework for industrial relations (closes 2 December 2024) – Consultation on creating a modern framework for industrial relations. Consultation on preventing abuse of rules on collective redundancy consultation and fire and rehire […]
Read MoreAcas – updated guidance on sexual harassment
Acas has updated its guidance on sexual harassment to reflect the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 which came into force from 26 October 2024. The guidance sets out that employers must take steps to prevent sexual harassment in the first place. This includes taking action to assess risks and putting measures in place. To […]
Read MoreStatutory minimum wage rates from 1 April 2025
Labour’s ‘Plan to Make Work Pay’ included ensuring that the minimum wage is a real living wage that people can live on. In the recent autumn budget speech, the Chancellor announced the rates of the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) to apply from 1 April 2025. The government has stated that this is the first […]
Read MoreSchool successfully defends claim of disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments
The case below is an example of where the school has successfully defended itself from claims of discrimination arising from disability, failure to make reasonable adjustments and constructive dismissal. Dr Driver v Sherrardswood School Dr Driver was employed as a newly qualified computer science teacher. Her disabilities included autism and Irlen’s Syndrome (a processing disorder […]
Read MoreEmployment Rights Bill – factsheets
The Government has produced further details on the Employment Rights Bill, introduced into the House of Commons on 10 October 2024, in the form of 10 fact sheets. The first is an overview of the Employment Rights Bill which includes a summary of what the Bill aims to do and the timetable for implementation. Notably, consultation is […]
Read MoreAmended technical guidance – Sexual harassment and harassment at work
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has published updated technical guidance on sexual harassment and harassment at work. By way of reminder, the new positive duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workforce comes into force on 26 October 2024. The amended guidance reflects comments made during a recent consultation […]
Read MoreTeacher wins £850,000 following claims of unfair dismissal, discrimination and victimisation
In the case of M Wright v The Governing Body of Cardinal Newman Catholic School and C Jarman, the employment tribunal (ET), considered claims of unfair dismissal, victimisation and discrimination. Background Mr Wright had been employed by Cardinal Newman Catholic School since 2005 and, until his dismissal, was employed as head of mathematics. In 2014, […]
Read MoreFair dismissal
In the case of Mrs Moore v Governing Body of Trinity St Mary’s Church of England (Aided) Primary School, Mrs Moore brought an unfair dismissal claim following accusations of inappropriate language and grabbing a child by the neck or collar. Parent complaint Mrs Moore was employed by the school as a teacher. In March 2023, […]
Read MoreReasonable adjustments during a reorganisation
Is it a reasonable adjustment to consider alternative employment pending a reorganisation or restructure? Restricted duties In the case of Cairns v The Royal Mail Group Ltd, Mr Cairns was employed in a delivery role at Royal Mail’s Hendon delivery office. Following an accident in 2016, it was revealed he had osteoarthritis which confined Mr […]
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