Tom Street, 8 January 2026 A misconduct hearing this week found that a Leicestershire police officer would have been sacked for issuing a community resolution order to a woman without ever speaking to her. The details sound almost absurd: Louise Gather went to Bradgate Park looking for rare mushrooms, didn’t pick any, and ended up with a police record that could have cost her her job. But beneath the headlines …
Feeling caught between a rock and a hard place when reporting care home woes? Fear not! The Public Interest Disclosure Act gives care workers powerful protection, turning that potentially career-ending move into a badge of honor. Speak up about neglect, abuse, and more, all while shielded from retaliation. Protect residents, safeguard your career, and uphold integrity!
Bracing for 2025 UK retail law changes? Anticipate a labor landscape overhaul with worker rights at the epicenter. Say hello to the heftiest minimum wage boost of 6.7% and wave goodbye to your old redundancy playbook with site-wide counting and 45-day consultations. But there’s a silver lining: Preparedness. Be the wizard of compliance, dodge penalties, and shield your business from financial tsunamis.
Introduction: Ground-Breaking Changes to Workplace Protection The Worker Protection Act 2024 has introduced vital amendments to the UK’s Equality Act 2010, marking a significant transformation in how sexual harassment is prevented and handled in workplaces. These changes strengthen employee protections and create new obligations for employers. Here’s your comprehensive guide to these crucial developments. The Worker Protection Act: What’s Changed? A Shift from Reactive to Proactive For years, workplace sexual …
Was it constructive dismissal or were you a victim of ‘quiet firing’? In the range of issues that can lead to an Employment Tribunal claim, constructive dismissals are some of the most difficult to run to a successful conclusion. The onus falls on the claimant (you) to show that you had literally no other choice before you, but to resign. The legal threshold of such cases is high. To rule …
Employers will face challenges from staff over ‘no jab no job’ vaccine policies. Following the removal of lockdown restrictions this time last month, many employers are struggling with the legal minefield surrounding vaccination policies in bringing staff safely back to the workplace. When restrictions were lifted, the government left the onus on employers to carry out COVID-19 inclusive health and safety risk assessments, and take “reasonable steps” to mitigate risks …
Menopause related claims increasing. Judging by the increase in Employment Tribunal cases citing the menopause as the cause of complaint, the answer seems to be a resounding yes. Between 2018 and 2020 the number of claimants making reference to the menopause at tribunal tripled, with this year’s statistics looking at continuing on an upward trajectory. Amongst others, a recent article in The Guardian ‘No sympathy, no understanding’: the social worker …
Mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. Whilst it has become common practice for employers to include ‘no jab, no job’ clauses in their employment contracts for new employees, mandating compulsory COVID-19 vaccinations for existing frontline care home staff could cause significant problems for employers in the sector. Already open to potential legal challenges of detrimental treatment or discrimination, the new government regulation which came into force on 16th June 2021, could put additional …
New Employment Rights Act order provides additional health and safety protection to workers. As of the 31st of May 2021 workers will now benefit from additional health and safety protection that previously only applied to employees, thanks to an amendment to the Employment Rights Act 1996. Under the Employment Rights Act 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order 2021, workers believing themselves to be in ‘serious …
New rates apply from 1st April 2021. Millions of the lowest paid workers across the UK are set to benefit from an uplift in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage. Not only could this equate to an extra £345 per year for those in full time employment, but this year’s adjustments increasingly favour younger people, as: National Minimum Wage vs National Living Wage The National Minimum Wage is …