Blog
Business Development: Playing The Right Card
Leor Franks
13 May 2014
Zero Hours Contracts - a political football, but what is the reality for employers and employees?
The phrase “zero hours contract” (ZHC) has been occupying an increasing number of media column inches in recent weeks. ZHCs have been vilified, defended, consulted upon and even featured in the Scottish independence referendum debate. This blog looks into the specifics around ZHC’s and considers potential solutions to the issues surrounding them… it could be argued that ZHCs are incorrectly named and a “Variable Hours Contract (VHC)” would be more reflective of reality.
13 May 2014
Unconscious bias and discrimination in the recruitment process – pitfalls and tips
The Bank of Queensland has made a splash in the news recently, following its statement that it will take identifying information including name, age, gender and address, out of CVs before their recruitment process for senior and executive roles begins. The purpose of this policy is to attract more women to senior roles and to avoid unconscious bias in recruitment.
13 May 2014
Legal update: Admissibility of evidence from disciplinary and grievance meetings at Tribunal Hearings
In Punjab National Bank (International) Limited and others v Gosain UKEAT/0003/14, the EAT held that covert recordings of public and private conversations at disciplinary and grievance meetings were admissible in evidence, and could be considered by the Tribunal when it came to determining the case at full hearing.
13 May 2014
Legal update: Compensation levels for failure to consult collectively where some consultation has occurred
The case of London Borough of Barnet v Unison and another considered what the starting point should be for calculating compensation for failure to consult collectively. The EAT has held that the starting point of the maximum award should only be used where the employer had not engaged in any consultation at all.
13 May 2014
Legal update: Enhanced redundancy payments may be an implied contractual entitlement
Whilst redundant employees are usually entitled to receive statutory redundancy payments from their employer, the contractual right to receive enhanced redundancy payments is less common in practice. Sometimes the employer is liable for enhanced redundancy payments because it is bound by a business or industry wide collective agreement that sets out enhanced redundancy pay terms. Alternatively the employer may be liable for enhanced redundancy payments pursuant to the express provisions of the terms and conditions of employment of some or all of its employees. The relevant enhanced redundancy package terms may be set out in individual employment contracts, or in another contractual document (for example, a contractual redundancy policy in the employee handbook). However, that is not necessarily the end of the story: it is also possible for employees to benefit from an implied contractual entitlement to enhanced redundancy pay. The case of Peacock Stores v Peregrine & Ors is an example of this.
