Employment Law Explained

Government Introduces New Fast-Track Dispute Resolution Scheme

Posted on 22/12/2011 by Michael Scutt • 0 Comments

It was today announced that the Coalition Government, following consultation with the Institute of Directors has decided to consult on a new means of resolving workplace disputes,

velrrimages Government Introduces New Fast Track Dispute Resolution Scheme silly season practice procedure
Fast Track Dispute Resolution – But is it Justice?

The scheme has been trialled in the United States where it has proved to be instrumental in reducing the amount of employment related litigation.  It is said to be the most successful method of Alternative Dispute Resolution ever seen and both David Cameron and George Osborne are known to be giving it careful consideration.  Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, was not available for comment.

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Filed Under: Practice & Procedure, Silly Season

Accidents at Work and on the Roads

Posted on 22/12/2011 by Michael Scutt • 0 Comments

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Accidents at Work and on the Roads personal injury

Family lawyers often talk about how Christmas gives rise to an upsurge in divorce work in the New Year. The same is probably also true of personal injury work, if to a lesser extent. Claims for personal injury usually involve

  • an accident at work,
  •  Road Traffic Accident
  • a slip or trip on a pavement
  • injury by a faulty product.

The numbers of road traffic accidents increases in the winter with poor light and icy conditions.

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Filed Under: Personal Injury

Review of 2011 – Radical Reforms, Unprotected Conversations & More

Posted on 21/12/2011 by Michael Scutt • 0 Comments

images.OFT Review of 2011 Radical Reforms, Unprotected Conversations & More unfair dismissal social media redundancy

As the wheels fall off time’s winged chariot and Old Father Time is evicted from his nursing home;

And as the Partygoer of Unquenchable Thirst  prepares to meet the Office Party of Bitter Experience, it’s that time of the year again: the annual review.

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Filed Under: Redundancy, social media, unfair dismissal

Men Behaving Badly

Posted on 12/12/2011 by Michael Scutt • 4 Comments

Men Behaving Badly title card Men Behaving Badly sex discrimination news equality

In case it were needed, the Daily Telegraph today reported on a case where “laddish” behaviour in the workplace led to a substantial payout for the female Claimant, Miss Angelina Ashby, which included £15,000 for injury to feelings and £9,158 for loss of earnings.  Read the article for the details, but this case should serve as a reminder that this sort of behaviour just isn’t acceptable in the workplace.

Male workers made unpleasant jibes about her weight and appearance and viewed pornography online.  When she issued a grievance she was criticised for being too sensitive and “unmanageable”.  She won her claim for sex discrimination and constructive dismissal against her employers. There are no great surprises there.

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Filed Under: Equality, News, sex discrimination

Mediations Not Protected Conversations?

Posted on 08/12/2011 by Michael Scutt • 0 Comments

samurai mediation1 300x207 Mediations Not Protected Conversations? practice procedure news

 

Amidst all the hullabaloo over the government’s plans to reform employment law,  one issue that hasn’t got as much of an airing as it might deserve is over mediation/conciliation.  In the Law Society Gazette yesterday an article stated that the government intends to promote mediation in the workplace.

Apparently less than 50% of employer respondents to the government’s recent “Resolving Workplace Disputes” had used mediation to resolve disputes, which is a number I find surprisingly high in fact.  The more interesting question though is at what stage did they use it?  I would guess that for many businesses mediation is only used when the lawyers suggest it as a means of settling a dispute and avoiding a trial.

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Filed Under: News, Practice & Procedure

The Most Radical Employment Law Reforms for Decades? Or a Spectacular Own-Goal?

Posted on 05/12/2011 by Michael Scutt • 1 Comment
The Most Radical Employment Law Reforms for Decades? Or a Spectacular Own Goal? practice procedure news

Sorry Guys, Not Under This Government

There have been many excellent blogs, articles and podcasts on the government’s proposals for the “most radical reform to the employment law system for decades” contained in its “Resolving Workplace Disputes: Government Response to the Consultation” Here is my regrettably belated contribution to the debate.

The full review can be read by clicking the link, but if you don’t want to wade through all 55 pages of the report, here are the headlines. Vince Cable, the Business Secretary also added in some further proposals in a later speech.

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Filed Under: News, Practice & Procedure

Are They Having a Protected Conversation?

Posted on 01/12/2011 by Michael Scutt • 0 Comments

 

 

84393 SMJPG 20111130171802462 Are They Having a Protected Conversation? unfair dismissal practice procedure

Last week the government announced various plans for reforming employment law. I’ll be writing about them shortly…

I wonder if the employee above has just been made aware of his “Compensated No Fault Dismissal” package?

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Practice & Procedure, unfair dismissal

So You Think Your Job’s Bad? Part II

Posted on 01/12/2011 by Michael Scutt • 2 Comments

Continuing the theme from my last post, I stumbled upon a picture of another employee forced to dress up for work. I don’t think this is quite as bad as forcing Father Christmas to promote Pizzas at road junctions, but it’s not far off.  Love it!

130192478837jobsucks So You Think Your Jobs Bad? Part II miscellaneous stuff

 

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Filed Under: Miscellaneous Stuff

So You Think Your Job’s Bad?

Posted on 19/11/2011 by Michael Scutt • 0 Comments

 

Then think again. It could be a lot, lot worse. For instance, this morning (19th November – 35 shopping days to  Christmas) I saw Santa with a sandwich board advertising Dominos pizzas standing at a cross roads.

IMAG08161 So You Think Your Jobs Bad? miscellaneous stuff cartoons

This prompted several questions, mainly from my 4 year old daughter who may still believe; such as “what is Santa doing standing there”, “why?” and “where are the reindeers?”.  My question was “what has Santa got to do with pizzas?”  Is it likely to make me rush out to Dominos and invest?  Unlikely and not just because I’m a food snob.

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Filed Under: Cartoons, Miscellaneous Stuff

CoreLegal Seminar on OFR

Posted on 18/11/2011 by Michael Scutt • 0 Comments

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London’s leading one-stop shop for legal support services, CoreLegal, has come together with two of the leading speakers in their field to stage a half-day CPD seminar, which takes as its subject the highly topical question of ‘Outcomes-Focused Regulation’ (OFR).

 

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