Employment UK

  • May 17, 2024

    Translation Lecturer At SOAS Loses Race Discrimination Case

    A professor has lost her claim for racial discrimination and harassment against her London university, as a tribunal found that a colleague speaking with her about a Japanese restaurant was not being detrimental and that the exchange did not constitute discrimination.

  • May 16, 2024

    Post Office's Ex-IT Head Says She Blocked Ex-CEO Requests

    The Post Office's former head of information technology said she blocked phone communication from former chief executive Paula Vennells after Vennells contacted her for help to "avoid an independent inquiry" into the wrongful prosecutions of sub-postmasters, according to a document made public in the probe Thursday.

  • May 16, 2024

    Tesco Warehouse Staff Lose 'Hopeless' Claims Against Union

    A trade union successfully struck out negligence and breach of duty claims brought against it by two Tesco warehouse workers over a preceding collective agreement, after a London court ruled that they had "no real prospect of succeeding."

  • May 16, 2024

    TM Liability Ruling A 'Get Out Of Jail Free Card' For Execs

    A ruling by Britain's highest court puts the burden on brand owners to prove that executives at the company knew about any alleged trademark infringement from their business to be sued. This landmark ruling is likely to impede brand owners who are looking to enforce their intellectual property.

  • May 16, 2024

    Pension Scheme Profit Warnings Ease In First Quarter

    The number of profit warnings issued by U.K.-listed companies with defined benefit pension schemes fell to 18 in the first quarter of this year, compared to 22 in the last three months of 2023, according to research published on Thursday by EY-Parthenon.

  • May 16, 2024

    NCA Says Uyghur Cotton Probe Would Soon Unravel

    The National Crime Agency defended on Thursday its decision to refuse to investigate imported cotton produced in a Chinese province with forced labor, telling an appeals court that it would be kneecapped by the difficulty of separating legal goods from criminal property.

  • May 16, 2024

    MPs Call For Redress Program For State Pension Errors

    Lawmakers have urged the government to draw up plans by this summer for a redress scheme for retirement-age women who were short-changed on their state pensions.

  • May 16, 2024

    No Docs Due To 6,000 Tesco Workers In Equal Pay Case

    Thousands of Tesco workers lost their appeal on Thursday for correspondence between the supermarket and other equal pay claimants.

  • May 16, 2024

    Average Pension Pot Value Plummets 66% Since 2012

    The average value of a defined contribution retirement savings pot has plunged by 66% in just over a decade, official figures revealed Thursday, as experts warned there was a risk of employers becoming stingier with pension benefits.

  • May 16, 2024

    M&G Accounts Manager Wins £13K Over Resignation Dispute

    An accounts manager at M&G PLC has won more than £13,000 ($16,500) after an employment tribunal found that the company wrongly refused to let him see out his 12-week notice period while on garden leave.

  • May 15, 2024

    800 Drivers Join Minimum Wage Claim Against Used Car Biz

    More than 800 drivers have joined the legal battle against a secondhand car dealer to be classified as "workers," in a bid for minimum wage and paid holidays, the law firm steering the action said on Thursday.

  • May 15, 2024

    Taxpayers Let Down By HMRC Digital Service, Says Watchdog

    HM Revenue and Customs has let down taxpayers by failing to deliver better online services, according to a report published on Wednesday by the public spending watchdog.

  • May 15, 2024

    Uyghur Group Fights To Revive Bid For Chinese Cotton Probe

    Campaigners for the Uyghurs told an appellate court Wednesday that Britain was wrong to refuse to launch a broad investigation into imported cotton produced in China with forced labor rather than specific shipments, arguing that the decision could create a market for criminal property.

  • May 15, 2024

    Crypto 'Academy' Closed After Probe Into False Assurances

    A cryptocurrency firm that "recklessly" persuaded customers to put money into investment plans has been wound up after the government's insolvency agency found that the company had given false assurances and traded without regulatory approval.

  • May 15, 2024

    Baker McKenzie Guides £28M Pension Deal For Pharma Co.

    Canada Life has insured the retirement savings plans of more than 300 members of the U.K. subsidiary of Dutch pharmaceutical company Norgine Ltd. in a full buy-in transaction of £28 million ($35 million), with the deal guided by Baker McKenzie.

  • May 15, 2024

    Fired Judge Loses Appeal Over Deleting Data During Probe

    A former judge who was removed from office for deleting data relevant to a police investigation had his bid to appeal his dismissal rejected by the High Court on Wednesday as a judge ruled that his removal from the bench was "clearly justified."

  • May 15, 2024

    Ex-RFB Partner Claims Ouster By Firm's 'Bullying' Boss

    The former head of employment at Ronald Fletcher Baker LLP has sued the firm, claiming that he was unfairly demoted and exposed to what he alleges was the "constant bullying treatment of staff" by the managing partner Rakeebah Rahim.

  • May 15, 2024

    Fashion Execs Not Liable For TM Infringement, Justices Say

    Two executives of a defunct fashion company are not legally responsible for causing their business to commit trademark infringement, Britain's highest court ruled Wednesday, making them exempt from paying back profits from their alleged wrongdoing.

  • May 14, 2024

    Autonomy Overstated Revenue Before HP Sale, Jury Hears

    Autonomy's reported revenue was overstated by a combined $300 million in the two-and-a-half years before HP acquired it, an accounting expert testified Tuesday in a California criminal trial over claims that Autonomy founder Michael Lynch duped HP into buying his software company for an inflated $11.7 billion price.

  • May 14, 2024

    UK Gov't Rules Out NDA Ban In Harassment Cases

    HM Treasury said Tuesday that the U.K. government will not commit to a legislative ban on nondisclosure agreements in harassment cases, rejecting a call from MPs to bring an end to the "abusive use" of NDAs to silence victims.

  • May 14, 2024

    Zen Internet CEO's Dismissal Was Unfair But Certain

    Zen Internet unfairly dismissed its former chief executive after the company failed to properly investigate concerns that he was failing to turn a profit, an employment tribunal has ruled.

  • May 14, 2024

    Interserve Whistleblower Can Add Past Warnings To Claim

    A former Interserve employee has won permission to include details of blowing the whistle at a previous employer to her whistleblowing claim against the construction company, in a reversal of a tribunal's decision that she had not been specific enough when filing the claim.

  • May 14, 2024

    Rail Operator Takes Fight Against Union To UK Supreme Court

    Rail operator Nexus took its battle with its employees' union to Britain's Supreme Court on Tuesday, arguing that it should be allowed to change a pay clause in a collective bargaining agreement reached with the organization.

  • May 14, 2024

    Gov't To Add Legal Powers, Staff To Stop Benefits Fraud

    The Department for Work and Pensions said Tuesday it will support new legislation to expand its powers to make arrests and conduct searches in its crackdown on benefits fraud.

  • May 14, 2024

    UK Pension Scheme Funding Edges Up £2.8B

    The overall funding level of U.K. pension schemes edged up £2.8 billion ($3.5 billion) last month, according to official figures Tuesday, but experts warned that there was potential "volatility" on the horizon amid uncertainty over whether interest rates will change this year.

Expert Analysis

  • Dyson Decision Highlights Post-Brexit Forum Challenges

    Author Photo

    The High Court's recent decision in Limbu v. Dyson, barring the advancement of group supply chain claims against Dyson subsidiaries in the U.K. and Malaysia, suggests that, following Brexit, claims concerning events abroad may less frequently proceed to trial in England, say lawyers at Debevoise.

  • Best Legal Practices For The Holiday Party Season

    Author Photo

    With the holiday party season in full swing, two recent Solicitors Regulation Authority decisions serve as a useful reminder to both individuals and firms of the potential employment and regulatory consequences when misconduct is alleged to have occurred at a work event, say lawyers at CM Murray.

  • Foreign Assets Ruling Suggests New Tax Avoidance Approach

    Author Photo

    The U.K. Supreme Court's recent ruling in His Majesty's Revenue & Customs v. Fisher, which found that the scope of the transfer of foreign assets is narrow, highlights that the days of rampant tax avoidance have been left behind, and that the need for wide-ranging and uncertain tax legislation is lessening, says James Austen at Collyer Bristow.

  • Key Questions Ahead Of 2024 Right-To-Work Changes

    Author Photo

    In 2024, the U.K. will increase the maximum civil penalty for companies hiring employees who don't have legal permission to work, so employers should work toward minimizing the risk of noncompliance, including by using an identity service provider to carry out digital right-to-work checks, says Gemma Robinson at Foot Anstey.

  • Migration Data Could Mean Big 2024 Changes For Employers

    Author Photo

    In light of the Office for National Statistics' recent revised net migration figures, the government has taken a tough stance on reducing migration, announcing numerous upcoming immigration rules changes that employers need to be aware of, including work sponsorship, say Caroline Bagley, Emma Morgan and Adil Qadus at Shoosmiths.

  • The Top 7 Global ESG Litigation Trends In 2023

    Author Photo

    To date, ESG litigation across the world can largely be divided into seven forms, but these patterns will continue developing, including a rise in cases against private and state actors, a more complex regulatory environment affecting multinational companies, and an increase in nongovernmental organization activity, say Sophie Lamb and Aleksandra Dulska at Latham.

  • Employment Law Changes May Increase Litigation In 2024

    Author Photo

    As we enter 2024, significant employment law updates include changes to holiday pay, gender equality and flexible working, but the sector must deal with the unintended consequences of some of these changes, likely leading to increased litigation in the coming year, says Louise Taft at Jurit.

  • How European Authorities Are Foiling Anti-Competitive Hiring

    Author Photo

    Lawyers at Squire Patton discuss key labor practice antitrust concerns and notable regulation trends in several European countries following recent enforcement actions brought by the European Commission and U.K. Competition and Markets Authority.

  • When Can Bonuses Be Clawed Back?

    Author Photo

    The High Court's recent decision in Steel v. Spencer should remind employees that the contractual conditions surrounding bonuses and the timing of any resignation must be carefully considered, as in certain circumstances, bonuses can and are being successfully clawed back by employers, say Merrill April and Rachael Parker at CM Murray.

  • Trial By AI Could Be Closer Than You Think

    Author Photo

    In a known first for the U.K., a Court of Appeal justice recently admitted to using ChatGPT to write part of a judgment, highlighting how AI could make the legal system more efficient and enable the judicial process to record more accurate and fair decisions, say Charles Kuhn and Neide Lemos at Clyde & Co.

  • Employer Considerations After Visa And Application Fee Hikes

    Author Photo

    The U.K.'s recent visa and application fee increases are having a significant financial impact on businesses, and may heighten the risk of hiring discrimination, so companies should carefully reconsider their budgets accordingly, says Adam Sinfield at Osborne Clarke.

  • Collapse-Risk Buildings Present Liability Challenges

    Author Photo

    Recently, buildings, such as Harrow Crown Court, have been closed due to risk of collapse from use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in their construction, but identifying who will pay for the associated damages may be challenging due to expired limitation periods, say Theresa Mohammed, Jonathan Clarke and Villem Diederichs at Watson Farley.

  • Age Bias Cases Illustrate Key Employer Issues On Retirement

    Author Photo

    Recent Employment Tribunal cases demonstrate that age discrimination claims are increasingly on employees' radars, particularly regarding retirement, so employers should be proactive and review their current practices for managing older employees, say Jane Mann and Lucy Sellen at Fox Williams.

  • What The Auto-Enrollment Law Means For UK Workforce

    Author Photo

    In a welcome step to enhance retirement savings, the U.K. government is set to extend the automatic enrollment regime by lowering the eligibility age and reducing the lower qualifying earnings limit, but addressing workers' immediate financial needs remains a challenge, says Beth Brown at Arc Pensions.

  • RSA Insurance Ruling Clarifies Definition Of 'Insured Loss'

    Author Photo

    A London appeals court's recent ruling in Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance v. Tughans, that the insurer must provide coverage for a liability that included the law firm's fees, shows that a claim for the recovery of fees paid to a firm can constitute an insured loss, say James Roberts and Sophia Hanif at Clyde & Co.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Employment UK archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!