The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that a company’s childcare voucher scheme did not discriminate against a woman on maternity leave. The case involved a company that operated a scheme that enabled employees to forego part of their salary in exchange for childcare vouchers. Entry to the scheme was conditional on employees accepting that
A doctor who was dismissed by the NHS after raising concerns about how a hospital was treating patients has been awarded £2.5m compensation. Dr Raj Mattu was a cardiologist at University Hospital Coventry in Walsgrave. He became alarmed that overcrowding was leading to patient deaths. He raised his concerns with the University Hospitals Coventry and
The Court of Appeal has ruled that an NHS Trust failed to protect a mental health nurse from abuse from his colleagues because it wanted to deter him from taking part in his trade union activities. The nurse was a leading member of the Workers of England Union (WEU). He was also a member of
A software developer has been granted an injunction to prevent a former employee passing on confidential information to a rival business. The developer specialised in computer gaming software for use in non-gaming industries. The employee had joined the company as a programmer and later moved to the sales department. There were restrictive covenants in his
284,000 landlords risk being fined over tenant deposits New research has revealed that 284,000 landlords are at risk of being fined because they have failed to protect tenants’ deposits in an approved scheme. The survey by the Centre for Economics Business Research (CEBR) suggests that more than £500m worth of tenancy deposits are being held
Two company directors have been held personally liable for the costs involved in mounting a no-hope defence against a winding-up petition. The court heard that HMRC brought a petition to wind up the company based on an alleged liability for VAT of £1.6m, and because of a number of tax issues. The company applied for
A football club has won a dispute with a contractor brought in to improve the standard of its pitches. The court heard that Yeovil Town played in League 1 but hoped to be promoted to the Championship, the league above. It hired a contractor to bring its pitches up to Championship standard. The work was
Shop staff are to be given more freedom to opt out of Sunday working following a government decision to devolve some control to local councils. The new measures will enable councils to “zone” any relaxation of Sunday trading laws so they will be able to prioritise high streets and city centres. This will enable them
A landlord has a won a dispute with his local council over accommodation for students in two houses in multiple occupation (HMO). The landlord had been granted HMO licences by the authority in relation to the two properties. Each property had a bedroom in the attic, but the licences prohibited the use of those rooms
The government has confirmed that it’s to press ahead with plans to force large companies to publish their gender pay gap data. The figures will have to include the difference in bonus payments made to male and female employees. The information will then be collated and published in league tables. The new measures are part