Uber may have to reconsider its working practices after losing two major legal battles within two months. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that the company should be classified as a taxi firm and regulated as such, a decision that may have major implications for its business model. The ruling comes only six
There has been a sharp rise in the number of employment tribunal cases since the Supreme Court ruled in July that the fees charged to bring claims were unlawful. Figures released by the Courts and Tribunal Service show that claims rose by 64% between July and September. The National User Group of Employment Tribunals say
The recent sexual assault scandals involving MPs and Hollywood actors has prompted the Equality and Human Rights Commission to write to leading companies telling them they’ll face legal action if they fail to deal with sexual harassment. The letter to the chairs of FTSE 100 companies and other leading employers reminds them of their legal
The Dyson group has been granted an injunction preventing one of its top engineers working for a rival company for 12 months. The case involved Dyson’s research and development company, Dyson Technology Ltd, which is developing the company’s electric car. It employed engineer Pierre Pellerey, who has a background in research related to electric cars,
There’s been a rise in the number of firms experiencing financial difficulties as the rate of business growth slows to its lowest level in four years. Research by the insolvency and restructuring trade body, R3, found that the number of companies reporting one or more signs of growth fell to 53% in September 2017, down
A fire officer who claimed his employer didn’t do enough to help him overcome his dyslexia and advance his career has lost his claim of disability discrimination. John Roads was a crew commander with Bucks Fire and Rescue Service. He wanted to become a fire safety watch commander, which involved passing exams, working at a
The National Living Wage for those aged 25 and over will increase from £7.50 per hour to £7.83 per hour from April 2018. Chancellor Philip Hammond confirmed in his budget speech that the government would accept the new rates recommended by the Low Pay Commission. Over 2 million people are expected to benefit. For a
Uber drivers should be classified as workers even when they are waiting to accept new fares. That was the ruling of the Employment Appeal Tribunal in the highly publicised case involving Uber London Ltd and several of its drivers. The tribunal heard that Uber paid drivers weekly, based on the fares charged for trips undertaken,
A restaurant has been fined £30,000 for employing illegal workers following an investigation by the Insolvency Service (IS) and Home Office Immigration Enforcement. Officers found that Nawab Lounge Ltd, which traded as Nawab Indian restaurant in Thatcham, Berkshire, employed three people who didn’t have a right to work in the UK. The restaurant owner, Rokeya
Businesses are facing an increasing threat from staff stealing valuable data to help them set up a rival firm or to take to a new job with a competitor, according to recent research. A survey by the security software company Symantec found that 56% of employees don’t think it’s a crime to use competitive data