Thank you to everyone who completed the last Buddy Quiz, posted throughout July. We have posted the answers to the questions below so you can check how you did. 1. The Queen`s Speech identified various employment law proposals which included higher penalties for employers who fail to pay the minimum wage. However, what is the current minimum wage for those aged 21 and over? £6.31 per...
BIS has recently published a consultation that aims to tackle recruitment agencies that discriminate against workers in Great Britain by advertising exclusively overseas, as part of wider plans on illegal working and penalising unscrupulous employers. Currently, under the legislation governing the recruitment sector, there are two legally defined types of business - employment agencies (often re...
The Court of Appeal has very recently considered circumstances where a Landlord was opposed to the renewal of the Lease protected by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 on the basis of disrepair and breaches of covenant. The case in question is Youssefi v Mussellwhite [2014] EXCA Civ 885....
In a major recent court decision, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has confirmed for the first time that search engine providers are to be regarded as data controllers in respect of the locating and making available information relating to individuals and that an individual`s data protection rights to rectify, erase or block access to personal data can, in certain circumstances, amount to "a right to be forgotten"...
For many years after the Commercial Agents Regulations came into force in 1994, there was uncertainty over how a commercial agent should calculate the value of the "compensation" they were owed under Regulation 17 following the termination of their agency agreement...
In the rather harrowing case of Hounga v Allen, the Supreme Court has held that the fact that a domestic worker was working illegally in the UK was not a defence to her discrimination. Miss Hounga is a Nigerian national who came to the UK in 2007 aged 14 to work as an au pair for Mrs Allen under a visitor visa. This visa was obtained, with Miss Hounga`s permission, using a false passport and was...
The UK Government confirmed in the Queens Speech the intention to introduce a publicly accessible register of a company`s beneficial ownership in the UK. This will apply to all corporate bodies currently registered at Companies House....
Neil v Freightliner, a key case on holiday pay, has settled in the Employment Appeal Tribunal. In this case the tribunal decided that Mr Neal`s holiday pay should have been calculated by reference to his normal earnings, which included overtime and shift pay. The case has been appealed and was expected that it would decide whether overtime should be included in the calculation of holiday pay. How...
The Court of Appeal has reaffirmed the well established principle that whilst a court can generally interpret an ambiguous clause it cannot rewrite a clause on the grounds that it does not make common sense and is contrary to the intention of the parties. Restrictive covenants are often used in employment contracts in order to guard against unfair competition. They allow an employer to protect...
It is with great sadness that I have to announce the sudden death of Tom Howell on 25 July following a short illness. Tom was a partner in our real estate department from 1984-2007. Tom was an excellent property lawyer who both we and indeed his clients all had the highest regard for....
The EAT in the case of Hershaw and others v Sheffield City Council has held that an employer was bound by the rates of pay included in a grievance appeal letter that was written by a HR consultant. The Council had sought to reduce its patrol officers` pay following a pay review. The employees lodged a grievance so the Council engaged a HR consultant to investigate. Whilst the consultant had no a...
We know that obesity is one of the most critical health issues facing the developed world, not least in Western Europe. The European Court of Justice now looks set to confirm, based on a preliminary opinion of the Court this week in a Danish case, that obesity, at least severe or "morbid" obesity can be a disability. In fact, leaving aside questions of European law, the Employment Appeal Tribuna...
Last month the Leeds Employment Tribunal found that Deloitte, the administrators of Comet, had failed to consult with redundant employees. The employees were entitled to awards of up to 90 days pay and it is expected that the total bill will be nearly £25 million. Background The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 ("TULRCA") provides that employers proposing to dismiss mo...
On Friday 11 July 2014 the Court of appeal finally handed down its judgment in MM (Lebanon) and others v Secretary of State for the Home Department and another [2014] EWCA Civ 985. Background The appeals were originally heard four months ago in March and the case concerns one aspect of the Home Secretary`s controversial rules on family migration introduced in July 2012. Under the new rules...
The number of international graduates in the UK is increasing; approximately 219,000 study related visas were issued in 2013. However, once migrants have completed their studies, many will want to stay in the UK. This note sets out some of the visa routes that graduates can explore if they want to stay in the UK post study. Tier 2 (General) What is it? Under this route graduates from ou...
David Cameron promised yesterday that the next Conservative manifesto will include a proposal to require a minimum turnout threshold when union members vote in an industrial action ballot. That would mean that there would have to be a minimum percentage threshold of eligible union members voting in favour of industrial action for the action to be lawful. At present, a simple majority of union mem...
An employment tribunal has found that the Met Police told staff to delete records on sex and race discrimination against one of its employees. Firearms officer Carol Howard, 35, was "singled out and targeted" for nearly a year, a panel ruled. An officer looking at her complaints was asked to delete references in a report into discrimination related to race or sex, it said. The Met said it was "...
The recent Judgment in the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) case of Qdime Ltd v Various Leaseholders at Bath Building (Swindon) and others [2014] UKUT 261 (LC) is a decision that will be of interest to landlords and tenants....
A recent Supreme Court case, Marley v Rawlings ruled for the first time at the highest judicial level on the circumstances under which a will may be rectified pursuant to s20(1)(a) of the Administration of Justice Act 1982...
As part of the Tour de France celebrations, Clarkslegal organised a team challenge for staff to cycle 190 kilometres, the distance of the tour`s first stage, raising profile and donations for the firm`s three nominated charities - Alexander Devine Children`s Hospice Service, Contact the Elderly and Cardiff Foodbank...