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An obese employee has won a disability harassment claim after being taunted about his weight by a work colleague. It’s the first case of its kind in the UK since the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled last year that obesity could be considered as a disability in certain circumstances. This latest
The government wants to promote mediation as a way of avoiding costly and sometimes “absurd” neighbour disputes. The move follows concerns expressed by the Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke about the way such disagreements often spiral out of control and end up costing far more than the dispute is actually worth. Mr Elphicke introduced a Private
The disabled are given wide ranging protection in the workplace under the Equality Act 2010. Employers are obliged to make reasonable adjustments to cater for disabled employees and disabled job applicants. This raises the question of what constitutes a reasonable adjustment. A recent case before the Employment Appeal Tribunal provided some useful guidance. It involved
A management consultancy company has been granted an interim injunction to prevent its staff being poached by a rival agency. The issue arose after two of the company’s staff resigned to join another agency operating in the same line of business. While they were working their notice period, the company discovered that they were providing
A company has lost its appeal to make some of its drivers redundant because their place of work had changed. The case involved EXOL Lubricants. It employed a number of drivers who lived in Manchester but had to go to the company’s premises in Wednesbury every day to load up. Their contracts stated that Wednesbury
The Government has “named and shamed” a further 37 firms that have failed to pay their staff the National Minimum Wage. It’s part of an ongoing campaign against rogue employers, which began in October 2013. The 37 firms between them owe their employees a total of more than £177,000 in wage arrears. They have been
The Fit for Work scheme, which is intended to help employers manage staff sickness, is now being piloted and is expected to be rolled out across England and Wales over the next few months. Government figures suggest more than 140 million working days are lost because of staff sickness each year. This causes stress for
A proposed 5% increase in court fees could deter small businesses pursuing claims for late payments, according to the Bar Council, which represents barristers in England and Wales. The Ministry of Justice is planning to impose a 5% blanket fee on businesses and individuals bringing a claim for money – such as late payments, debt
A government scheme is helping to create 450 new businesses every week, according to the latest figures. The New Enterprise Allowance has so far led to the creation of 60,000 firms across the UK. The scheme is targeted mainly at jobseekers, lone parents and people on sickness benefit. Budding entrepreneurs with a good business idea
A government minister has urged employers to keep up with changes in society and help older staff to keep working beyond the normal retirement age. Minister for Pensions Steve Webb said: “How we all look at retirement is changing and the way in which government and business help older workers needs to keep up with