Divorce Settlement Not Written in Stone
Although an ex-wife fully understood the terms of a divorce settlement by which she agreed to pay her former husband a total of £450,000, a family judge was entitled to exercise her discretion under Section
Professional Indemnity Insurance Notifications Were Valid
A professional firm that unwittingly acquired a poisoned chalice through the merger market, inheriting another firm’s potential liabilities in respect of a substantial number of negligence claims, has won a High Court ruling that it
Snow and Ice and Employees’ Rights
There’s snow everywhere and the thermometer is stuck at the bottom. Schools are closed and the children need to be looked after. What happens if your employees decide that battling their way into work isn’t
Government Publishes TUPE Consultation
The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) ensure, amongst other things, that if a business is sold or transferred, all the employees’ contracts of employment are automatically transferred to the purchaser or transferee.
Agricultural Employers Beware of Gangmaster Laws
In a cautionary tale for agricultural employers, the Court of Appeal has ruled that a dairy company was justifiably prosecuted under the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004 for taking on a herdsman through an agency without
Cross-Wearing Worker Wins Human Rights Test Case
A devout Christian worker who was sent home without pay for wearing a cross in contravention of her employer’s uniform policy has won a landmark ruling that her human right to religious freedom was violated.
Volunteers Not Entitled to Discrimination Protection
Voluntary organisations will welcome a decision of the Supreme Court that volunteers do not fall within the scope of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (now superseded by the Equality Act 2010) or the EU Equal
Government Announces New Type of Employment Contract
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced plans to introduce a new kind of employment status – that of ‘owner-employee’. The plan is that new owner-employees will relinquish some of their UK employment rights in
Unsigned Employment Contract Still Valid
An employment contract which was retained and not signed by the relevant worker remains valid for the purposes of enforcing restrictive covenants contained within it, a High Court judge has ruled. Benefits received by the
Gay Couple in B&B Triumph
Gay partners who were refused a double bed after booking themselves into a bed & breakfast (B&B) for the night have been awarded £1,800 damages each after a judge ruled that their treatment amounted to