Employment and Trade Union Law
Last month the EHRC supervised a fiasco when it issued guidance that Long Covid could not a disability. It was a legal nonsense but, given the position it holds, the guidance was damaging in potentially giving employers a false sense of security and dissuading victims of discrimination asserting their rights. I posted a number of … Continue reading Second Employment Tribunal determines Long Covid can be a disability
In April 2022 the Government introduced new rules allowing GP’s to sign Fit notes digitally. Following on from that new secondary legislation has been laid before Parliament that will significantly expand the persons who can complete a Fit Note. A fit note is usually required to ne issued to an employer to cover any sickness … Continue reading Healthcare Professionals to be Authorised to Issue Fit Notes
Over the weekend the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued a statement stating it was not its position that Long Covid (LC) was a disability. So irked was I that it prompted not one but two blogposts, the first on the statement and the second on how the Employment Tribunal have treated Long Covid … Continue reading EHRC ‘clarifies’ its position on Long Covid as disability
In the wake of a national public health emergency workers across the economy have been told that for their own safety and to minimise the spread of the deadly Covid-19 virus that if they are able they should work from home. It is an eminently sensible exhortation but the reality is that those in sectors … Continue reading How the Employment Rights Act is not fit for purpose in a world of lockdowns
Just over one year ago today DKLM LLP, a solicitors firm, appointed Hilesh Chavda as its new Head of Private Client. The appointment would, according to the firm's website announcement on 19 October 2019, "help capitalise on the firm’s successes with high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs in the UK and international markets." He was … Continue reading Solicitor loses Covid-19 pay cut case
In a relatively rare occurrence a UVW union member has been reinstated after making an interim relief application and an employment tribunal ruled it was likely that his claim would succeed. When an employee is dismissed then a tribunal can order (but not enforce) an employer reinstates the employee to the post they were dismissed … Continue reading Dismissed worker reinstated after manager’s anti-Union rant
Last Tuesday workers across the country took a moment on the International Workers Memorial Day (IWMD) to remember those who have lost their lives at work, especially those who have fallen to the Coronavirus. It is right to do so but the IWMD is about empowering workers to demand safe places of work as it … Continue reading Unnatural Covid-19 deaths at Ministry of Justice building?
I previously worked for an employer which did not have a sickness absence policy, every case in which an employee was absent was dealt with under its disciplinary policy. This was a strange and counterproductive approach to take as it conveyed a clear message to staff that to be ill to the extent that one's … Continue reading Sickness absence: a disciplinary or capability issue?
In most employment contracts an employee is not required to provide medical evidence that they are unfit for work unless they have been sick and absent for seven calendar days. At that point they will normally need to provide a 'fit note' from their GP certifying that they are not fit for work. The NHS … Continue reading Coronavirus and fit notes
Following a meeting of the union's NEC last week PCS has announced announced that this year's conference (groups and national) due to be held in Brighton this year has been cancelled. The website explains the decision in this way: The NEC also agreed that it would not be possible to go ahead with our conferences … Continue reading PCS 2020 Conference Cancelled
Employment Writes 