The appellant had undergone a male to female sex change, but was refused employment by the respondent before the Human Rights Act came into effect. Held: Although the Human Rights Act could not apply, the act was in breach of the Equal Treatment Directive and discrimination. The 1999 regulations were incompatible with the provisions of … Continue reading A v Chief Constable of the West Yorkshire Police and Another: CA 5 Nov 2002
There was a claim for damages in respect of psychiatric injury said to result from a breach of the implied term of trust and confidence, which was asserted to be recoverable notwithstanding Johnson, on the basis that the acts of the employer complained of could be severed from the employer’s conduct leading to the dismissal, … Continue reading Eastwood v Magnox Electric plc: CA 2002
The claimant sought damages for the consequences of having been suspended from work as a teacher. He later recovered damages for unfair dismissal, and the court had struck out his claim for damages over and above those already awarded. Held: There is no absolute bar against a claim for damages not covered by the Employment … Continue reading McCabe v Cornwall County Council, The Governing Body of Mounts Bay School: CA 23 Dec 2002
The defendant appealed a summary judgement on the claimant’s claim with respect to her alleged disclosure of details Miss Campbell’s private life. The claimant sought an action for account of profits for breach of the terms of a contract of service. The defendant claimed that a violent assault by the claimant on her was a … Continue reading Campbell v Frisbee: ChD 14 Mar 2002
EAT Contract of Employment – Definition of Employee Judges: The Honourable Mr Justice Burton (P) Citations: EAT/492/02, [2002] UKEAT 492 – 02 – 1112 Links: Bailii, EAT Statutes: Employment Rights Act 1996 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: Cited – McMeechan v Secretary of State for Employment CA 11-Dec-1996 The respondent as a temporary worker was … Continue reading Dacas v Brook Street Bureau (UK) Ltd, Wandsworth London Borough Council: EAT 12 Nov 2002
The applicant had left on maternity leave. Before leaving, her salary had been increased, but the increase was not back-dated to any part of the period over which the regulations required her average earnings to be calculated for statutory maternity pay. She asserted discrimination, and unlawful deductions from her wages. Should her case be referred … Continue reading Alabaster v Woolwich Plc, Secretary of State for Social Security: CA 26 Feb 2002
EAT JURISDICTIONAL POINTS:2002 Act and Pre-Action RequirementsClaim in Time and Effective Date of TerminationExtension of Time: Reasonably PracticableThe Tribunal at a pre-hearing review erred in law in holding that the Appellant was barred by section 32(2) from bringing (1) certain complaints of racial harassment and (2) a specific complaint concerning one particular individual employee. The … Continue reading Fullerton v Interights International Centre for The Legal Protection of Human Rights: EAT 19 Feb 2010
The claimant had been employed by the respondent, but after taking maternity leave had been made redundant. The employer claimed her continuous employment had been broken. Held: The section intended to protect continuous employment despite what might otherwise be breaks in employment. Nevertheless, the parties had to agree that employment would continue. That required both … Continue reading Curr v Marks and Spencer Plc: CA 13 Dec 2002
To be protected, a disclosure had to be causative in the sense of being the real reason or core reason, the motive for the treatment complained of. Judges: His Hon Judge J R Reid QC Citations: EAT/891/01, [2002] UKEAT 891 – 01 – 2507 Links: Bailii, EAT Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: See Also – … Continue reading Aspinall v MI Mech Forge Ltd: EAT 5 Jul 2002
The claimant was employed, receiving a basic pay together with commission on sales. After termination of his employment he complained that he should have been paid holiday pay based upon the average total pay rather than the basic pay. Held: The right to holiday pay arose under the Regulations, but the pay was calculated under … Continue reading Evans v Malley Organisation Ltd (t/a First Business Support): CA 27 Nov 2002
The claimant appealed against a decision that she had not been unfairly dismissed. She had been dismissed after complaints by a colleague, but had not been given the opportunity to examine him during the process. Held: An employer was not duty bound to allow an employee subject to a disciplinary hearing to cross examine those … Continue reading Santamera v Express Cargo Forwarding (T/A IEC Ltd): EAT 26 Nov 2002
Hudoc Judgment (Merits and just satisfaction) Violation of Art. 6-1 ; Pecuniary damage – claim rejected ; Non-pecuniary damage – financial award ; Costs and expenses partial award – Convention proceedingsThe applicant alleged, in particular, that civil proceedings brought by him were not determined within a reasonable time. Judges: J-P Costa P Citations: 39197/98, [2002] … Continue reading Foley v The United Kingdom: ECHR 22 Oct 2002
The claimant contracted to supply football shirts to the defendant, but claimed that clauses in the contract with regards to late delivery and payment operated as penalties and so were void at common law. Held: The sums set out were immodest and went far beyond any attempt to pre-estimate losses. They were invalid as a … Continue reading Jeancharm Ltd (T/A Beaver International) v Barnet Football Club Ltd: CA 16 Jan 2002
Judges: The Honourable Lord Johnston Citations: EATS/0015/02, [2002] UKEAT 0015 – 02 – 2211 Links: Bailii, EAT Statutes: Employment Rights Act 1996 123(1) Citing: Mentioned – Edwards v The Governors of Hanson School EAT 11-Jan-2001 EAT Unfair Dismissal – Procedural fairness/automatically unfair dismissal. . . Cited by: Appeal from – Dignity Funerals Limited v Bruce … Continue reading Bruce v Dignity Funerals Ltd (Formerly SCI Funerals Ltd): EAT 22 Nov 2002
The applicants sought to argue that the attempt to evict him from the caravan site he occupied infringed his article 8 and 14 rights. Though the Isaacs case had decided there was good reason to deny security, he argued that was no longer applicable, since many gypsies did not now seek a roving life. Held: … Continue reading Regina (on the application of Smith) v Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council and another: Admn 19 Nov 2002
EAT The tribunal had held that the applicant was not a disabled person within the meaning of the Act because only of an addiction to alcohol. This was not to be treated as an impairment. She also suffered from depression. Held: The tribunal should have determined whether the depression constituted an impairment within the meaning … Continue reading A Power v Panasonic UK Ltd: EAT 17 Sep 2002
The claimant sought an account against her former employee for the disclosures made by her of their activities. The respondent had signed a confidentiality agreement. The respondent counterclaimed for assault. She now appealed from dismissal of her appeal against the summary judgment entered against her, arguing that the judge was wrong to dismiss her case … Continue reading Frisbee v Campbell: CA 14 Oct 2002
The employees claimed sex discrimination, and sought to have as comparators, male employees of an employer who had previously employed some of them, before a TUPE transfer of the services supplied. The Court of Appeal referred to the court the question of whether they could rely upon Article 141(1) to base such a comparison. Held: … Continue reading Lawrence and others v Regent Office Care Ltd and Others: ECJ 17 Sep 2002
The claimant solicitor had alleged disability discrimination, but several months later applied to amend his claim, to include a claim for unfair dismissal. The respondent appealed permission to do so. Held: The EAT was being asked to interfere with the exercise of a discretion, and faced a high hurdle. The tribunal should look at what … Continue reading Swiss Re Life and Health Ltd v A H Kay: EAT 11 Jul 2002
PC (Bermuda) The courts should be reluctant to accept a fetter on the employer’s right to dismiss on notice where there is an express term in the contract empowering the employer to do so. Lord Millet considered the contention that the employer was duty bound to preserve the relationship of trust and confidence: ‘which ought … Continue reading Reda, Abdul-Jalil v Flag Limited: PC 11 Jul 2002
The employee claimed that he had been unlawfully dismissed, and that his dismissal broke the protection given to whistleblowers under the Act. The employer appealed. Held: In such claims it was necessary first for the tribunal to establish whether it had jurisdiction, by testing whether a protected disclosure had taken place, and whether that had … Continue reading ALM Medical Services Limited v Bryan Bladon: CA 26 Jul 2002
The applicant had come to England on a six month visitor’s visa. She then married an English national, but her visa was not extended. Held: The husband had business interests and activities throughout the community. The deportation of the applicant would have the effect of removing her support for him and restrict his ability to … Continue reading Carpenter v Secretary of State for the Home Department: ECJ 11 Jul 2002
The claimant sought damages from the defendant who was a pop star, and had vociferously, publicly, and wrongly accused the claimant of selling pictures with fake autographs of her husband. The defendant obtained an order striking out the claim on the ground that the defendant was not responsible for repetitions of the slander by others. … Continue reading McManus and others v Beckham: CA 4 Jul 2002
The appellants were journalists and other workers, and members of trades unions. Their employers had de-recognised the unions, paying sums to buy out those rights. The claimants had not surrendered their rights, and had been paid less because of it. Held: The Act did not protect the employees rights of association as guaranteed by article … Continue reading Wilson and NUJ, Palmer, Wyeth and RMT, Doolan and Others v The United Kingdom: ECHR 2 Jul 2002
The complainant was a post office employee. He brought a claim for unfair dismissal, but he posted it at a time when in the normal course of delivery, it would not arrive. He claimed to be unaware of the normal times for delivery. Held: It was for the claimant to establish that his case fell … Continue reading Consignia Plc v Russell Sealy: CA 19 Jun 2002
The claimant sought damages for sex discrimination after her summary dismissal. Though she received some advice, her application was lodged out of time. For the unfair dismissal and unlawful deductions claims, the test was whether it had been reasonably practicable to act within the time limits, but for the sex discrimination claim, the test was … Continue reading Six Continents Retail Ltd (Formerly Bass Taverns Limited T/A Bass Leisure Retail) v Hughes: EAT 19 Apr 2002
The claimants sought damages against the defendants for their late delivery of a building. The contractors sought to share the damages with the architects who had certified the delays, defeating their own claims. Held: The Act sought to extend the circumstances under which contributions could be sought, but their claim against the architects were of … Continue reading Royal Brompton Hospital National Health Service Trust v Hammond and others: HL 25 Apr 2002
The employers appealed against findings that employees could claim constructive dismissal on a transfer of an undertaking simply because of a change in the employment conditions after the transfer. Held: Neither the Regulations nor the Act created a new right beyond the preservation of existing rights. To found a case for constructive dismissal, the employee … Continue reading Rossiter v Pendragon plc; Clarke v Air Foyle Ltd: CA 10 May 2002
EAT Contract of Employment – Breach of ContractThe appellant had owned a company. She sold the shares to the second respondent in return for a position as a director. After dismissal she appealed several findings. Held: The tribunal deciding an issue as to jurisdiction had pre-empted the job of the tribunal of making findings as … Continue reading Hinkley v Ashtons Manufacturing Ltd, Thomas A Ashton Ltd P Crook: EAT 18 Mar 2002
The employer appealed against a finding of unlawful deduction of wages. Held: The words ‘any . . emolument’ includes overtime pay, which may be isolated from other contractual terms as to pay. An arrangement under which the employer had tried to defeat a claim for unpaid overtime, by redescribing the basic pay rate failed. The … Continue reading Pendragon Plc v Nota: EAT 18 Mar 2002
Legislation had been enacted to tax under Schedule E, people employed through one man service companies and similar. Representatives of such taxpayers sought review of the legislation as incompatible with European law being a hindrance to the freedom of movement of workers and also state aid. The law set to catch those who would be … Continue reading Professional Contractors’ Group and Others v Commissioners of Inland Revenue: CA 21 Dec 2001
Although fewer men were affected by the two year qualifying period before becoming entitled not to be dismissed unfairly, the difference was objectively justified by the need to encourage employers to take staff on, and was not directly derived from any discriminatory reason. It was not a breach of the Directive. Lord Nicholls said: ‘The … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State For Employment Ex Parte Seymour-Smith and Another (No 2): HL 17 Feb 2000
The applicants were husband and wife and the wife was physically handicapped. They complained that their Article 8 rights were infringed because, in breach of Czech law, the authorities had failed to install facilities that would enable her to gain access to public buildings. Held: The claim failed. ‘The Court is of the opinion that … Continue reading Zehnalova and Zehnal v Czech Republic: ECHR 14 May 2002
EAT Jurisdiction Judges: His Hon Judge J Altman Citations: EAT/18/02 Links: EAT Statutes: Employment Rights Act 1996 196 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Appeal from – Serco Ltd v Lawson and Foreign and Commonwealth Office CA 23-Jan-2004 The applicant had been employed to provide services to RAF in the Ascension Islands. He alleged constructive … Continue reading Lawson v Serco Ltd: EAT 12 Dec 2002
The claimants asserted infringement of their registered design rights in parts used in their double glazing and conservatory units. ‘Therefore it is possible for design right to subsist in the design of the part of the article which is not excluded under the must match provisions.’ Judges: The Honourable Mr Justice Laddie Citations: [2003] RPC … Continue reading Ultraframe UK Limited v Clayton, Fielding and Others: ChD 3 Oct 2002
EAT Trade Union Rights – Action short of dismissal. Judges: The Honourable Mr Justice Elias Citations: EAT/1318/01 Links: EAT Jurisdiction: England and Wales Employment Updated: 10 May 2022; Ref: scu.256131
(High Court of Australia) McHugh and Kirby JJ said: ‘Persecution covers many forms of harm ranging from physical harm to the loss of intangibles, from death and torture to state sponsored or condoned discrimination in social life and employment. Whatever form the harm takes, it will constitute persecution only if, by reason of its intensity … Continue reading Appellant S395/2002 v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs: 9 Dec 2003
The union sought recognition, but the employer did not accept the proposed bargaining unit. The union took their request to the respondent. The employer appealed their decision, and the committee appealed that first instance decision. Held: The procedure under the schedule is unusual, and is intended to reflect the Union’s need for bargaining rights. It … Continue reading Regina (Kwik-Fit (GB) Ltd) v Central Arbitration Committee: CA 18 Mar 2002
The applicants sought orders that enquiries into the activities of doctors under the Act should be held in public. Held: The Act contained no presumption that enquiries should be in public, and the Wagstaff case created no general principle to that effect. The right to free expression did not include the right to receive from … Continue reading Regina (Howard and Another) v Secretary of State for Health: QBD 15 Mar 2002
Rehearing/Review – Little Difference on Appeal The appellant asked the Court to reverse a decision on the facts reached in the lower court. Held: The appeal failed (Majority decision). The court’s approach should be the same whether the case was dealt with as a rehearing or as a review. Tanfern was limited to appeals from … Continue reading Assicurazioni Generali Spa v Arab Insurance Group (BSC): CA 13 Nov 2002
The second defendant had become General Secretary of the first defendant after the amalgamation of two unions. The defendants agreed a compromise as to his term of office. The applicants sought declarations that they were now joint secretary. Held: The amalgamation had taken place under the 1992 Act. It was an issue as to whether … Continue reading Godrich and Serwotka v Public and Commercial Services Union and Reamsbottom: ChD 31 Jul 2002
The defendants used a distorted image of the claimant, a famous racing driver, to endorse its product. He claimed damages in passing off. Held: On the facts, the famous racing driver Eddie Irvine had a property right in his goodwill which he could protect from unlicensed appropriation consisting of a false claim or suggestion of … Continue reading Irvine, Tidswell Ltd v Talksport Ltd: ChD 13 Mar 2002
A genuine religious belief which supported the use of corporal punishment in schools was not itself either a manifestation of religious belief which required protection under the convention, or a religious and philosophical conviction for the purposes of the right to education provisions of article 2. A religiously founded belief that corporal punishment should be … Continue reading Regina (Williamson and Others) v Secretary of State for Education and Employment: Admn 15 Nov 2001
CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT – Written particulars RACE DISCRIMINATION – Direct RACE DISCRIMINATION – Comparison The Employment Tribunal erred in concluding that an employee who has more than one but less than two months’ service is not entitled to a section 1 Employment Rights Act 1996 statement of terms and conditions of employment. It does not … Continue reading Stefanko and Others v Maritime Hotel Ltd and Another (Contract of Employment : Race Discrimination): EAT 25 Sep 2018
At the outset of a Preliminary Hearing, the ELAAS representative raised concerns as to the Appellant’s litigation capacity. Adjourning the hearing on terms enabling the investigation of that issue, the EAT held that section 30(3) of the Employment Tribunals Act 1996 (‘the ETA’) provides the EAT with the power to regulate its own procedure, subject … Continue reading Stott v Leadec Ltd (Human Rights : Litigation Capacity): EAT 20 Feb 2020
Iniquity surpasses legal advice privilege PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Disclosure PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – Striking-out/dismissal An Employment Judge struck out paragraphs of the Claimant’s claim as they depended on an email in respect of which legal advice privilege was claimed. In considering whether privilege could not be claimed as the advice in the email was … Continue reading X v Y Ltd (Practice and Procedure – Disclosure): EAT 9 Aug 2018
The claimants sought a declaration that the restriction on the infliction of corporal punishment in schools infringed their human right of freedom of religion. The schools concerned were Christian schools who believed that moderate corporal discipline was required in order to give expression to their religious beliefs. The respondent argued that the beliefs asserted, whilst … Continue reading Regina (Williamson and Others) v Secretary of State for Education and Employment: CA 12 Dec 2002
Judge’s Reasons Must Show How Reached In each case appeals were made, following Flannery, complaining of a lack of reasons given by the judge for his decision. Held: Human Rights jurisprudence required judges to put parties into a position where they could understand how the decision in their case had been arrived at. Flannery preceded … Continue reading English v Emery Reimbold and Strick Ltd; etc, (Practice Note): CA 30 Apr 2002
The applicant had appealed the dismissal of his case for unfair dismissal. His notice of appeal did not request extended reasons from the tribunal, nor challenged the adequacy of the tribunal’s reasoning. At the EAT he sought to argue that the reasons were inadequate, but he was not allowed to argue the point. The notice … Continue reading Tran v Greenwich Vietnam Community Project: CA 25 Apr 2002
The court considered whether discriminatory acts after the termination of employment were caught by the respective anti-discrimination Acts. The acts included a failure to give proper references. They pursued claims on the basis of victimisation after their primary discrimination claims. Held: The 1975 and 1976 Acts were similarly phrased and the wording in the 1995 … Continue reading Relaxion Group plc v Rhys-Harper; D’Souza v London Borough of Lambeth; Jones v 3M Healthcare Limited and three other actions: HL 19 Jun 2003
Right to Life Did Not include Right to Death The applicant was paralysed and suffered a degenerative condition. She wanted her husband to be allowed to assist her suicide by accompanying her to Switzerland. English law would not excuse such behaviour. She argued that the right to die is not the antithesis of the right … Continue reading Pretty v The United Kingdom: ECHR 29 Apr 2002
The appellants were teachers in Christian schools who said that the blanket ban on corporal punishment interfered with their religious freedom. They saw moderate physical discipline as an essential part of educating children in a Christian manner. Held: The appeal was dismissed. For Article 9 to be engaged (aside from certain other threshold conditions) the … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for Education and Employment and others ex parte Williamson and others: HL 24 Feb 2005
The Action Group had obtained a declaration that, where an overpayment of benefits had arisen due to a miscalculation by the officers of the Department, any process of recovering the overpayment must be by the Act, and that the Department could not use the law of unjust enrichment. The Department Appealed. Held: The appeal failed. … Continue reading The Child Poverty Action Group v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: SC 8 Dec 2010
Reasobaleness of Investigation Judged Objectively The employer appealed against a decision that it had unfairly dismissed the respondent. The majority of the Employment Tribunal had decided that the employers had not carried out a reasonable investigation into the employee’s alleged misconduct which consisted of stealing an article found in his locker at work, because other … Continue reading J Sainsbury Ltd v Hitt; Orse Sainsburys Supermarkets Limited v Hitt: CA 18 Oct 2002
The claimant was a post operative male to female trans-sexual. She claimed that her human rights were infringed when she was still treated as a man for National Insurance contributions purposes, where she continued to make payments after the age at which a woman would have ceased payments thus causing harassment. A second claimant again … Continue reading Goodwin v The United Kingdom: ECHR 11 Jul 2002
The claimant had been dismissed after it was discovered he had been cautioned for a public homosexual act. He appealed dismissal of his claim saying that the standard of fairness applied was inappropriate with regard to the Human Rights Act, and that the state had a duty to protect him from private acts which breached … Continue reading X v Y (Employment: Sex Offender): CA 28 May 2004
Solicitors acted in a loan, giving an undertaking as to its application. In breach of that undertaking they released it to the borrower. The appellants appealed a finding of liability as contributors to the breach. Held: ‘Money in a solicitor’s client account is held on trust. The only question is the terms of that trust.’ … Continue reading Twinsectra Ltd v Yardley and Others: HL 21 Mar 2002
The defendant appealed against a striking out of part of its defence to the claim of defamation, pleading justification. Held: The Human Rights Convention had not itself changed the conditions for a plea of justification based upon reasonable belief that the claimant had acted criminally. The three conditions were: the inability to rely upon hearsay, … Continue reading Chase v Newsgroup Newspapers Ltd: CA 3 Dec 2002
The industrial tribunal had made a finding of direct race discrimination. The Employment Appeal Tribunal found the decision perverse, and ordered a rehearing. The applicant appealed that order. Held: The EAT must be careful not to take disagreements as to findings on facts as faults in law. No appeal on a question of law should … Continue reading Yeboah v Crofton: CA 31 May 2002
Hudoc Judgment (Merits and just satisfaction) Violation of Art. 6-1; Not necessary to examine Art. 14 or Art. 13; Non-pecuniary damage – financial award; Costs and expenses partial award – Convention . .
A party sought from the EAT a declaration as to incompatibility of the exemption of small firms from the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act. The industrial tribunal had said it was not a court entitling it to consider such an . .
The applicant sought to succeed to the tenancy of his deceased homosexual partner as his partner rather than as a member of his family.
Held: A court is bound by any decision within the normal hierachy of domestic authority as to the meaning . .
1267 – 1278 – 1285 – 1297 – 1361 – 1449 – 1491 – 1533 – 1677 – 1688 – 1689 – 1700 – 1706 – 1710 – 1730 – 1737 – 1738 – 1751 – 1774 – 1792 – 1793 – 1804 – 1814 – 1819 – 1824 – 1828 – 1831 – 1832 … Continue reading Acts
EAT UNFAIR DISMISSAL Reasonableness of dismissal S.98A(2) ERA Although the ET correctly directed itself as to the law it inadmissibly substituted its own view of the facts for those of the Employer and failed to consider the evidence as a whole but examined the allegations of misconduct against the Claimant separately and in isolation from … Continue reading Milton Keynes General NHS Trust v Southcote-Want: EAT 23 Apr 2010
EAT STATUTORY DISCIPLINE AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES:IMPACT ON COMPENSATIONThe Employment Tribunal took an irrelevant consideration into account when making an uplift under s31(3) of the Employment Rights Act 2002 and reducing a basic award under s112(5) of the Employment Rights Act 1996 when it took account of the death of the employer’s wife two years before … Continue reading Drewett v Penfold: EAT 7 Dec 2009
The EAT considered the effect of an employer’s failure to comply with the statutory procedures in a redundancy. Held: ‘there is an automatically unfair dismissal where there is a failure fully to comply with any relevant statutory procedure. Compliance with the statutory procedure does not, however, mean that the dismissal is necessarily fair or cannot … Continue reading Alexander and Hathersley v Bridgen Enterprises Ltd: EAT 29 Mar 2006
EAT UNFAIR DISMISSAL: Procedural fairness/automatically unfair dismissal This judgment addresses only the issue as to whether the Employment Tribunal’s finding of automatically unfair dismissal was wrong in law. All other issues were adjourned. The Employment Tribunal found that the Step 1 letter was insufficient because it did not inform the employee that he was at … Continue reading Zimmer Ltd v Brezan: EAT 24 Oct 2008
fraser_southwestEAT2011 EAT JURISDICTIONAL POINTS – 2002 Act and Pre-Action RequirementsWORKING TIME REGULATIONS – Holiday PayEmployee dismissed in October 2008 claims brings claims of, inter alia, (a) discrimination on grounds of age and disability and (b) unpaid statutory holiday pay in respect of the two previous leave years during which she had been away on long-term … Continue reading Fraser v Southwest London St George’s Mental Health Trust: EAT 3 Nov 2011
The court considered the workings of fixed term employment contracts under which the claimants taught in Europe. The Secretary of State argued that the contracts validly limited the claimants’ employment to nine years. The claimants said the 2002 Regulations operated to change the contracts into permanent ones. The decision was ‘whether the employment contracts between … Continue reading Duncombe and Others v Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families: CA 14 Dec 2009
EAT JURISDICTIONAL POINTS Extension of time: just and equitable2002 Act and pre-action requirements DISABILITY DISCRIMINATIONDisability related discrimination Direct disability discriminationReasonable adjustmentsExclusions/jurisdictionsVICTIMISATION DISCRIMINATION: Detriment HARASSMENT: ConductThis case raises issues of legal and practical importance for discrimination cases. It is one of a number of cases in which the Employment Appeal Tribunal is considering whether the judgment … Continue reading Stockton on Tees Borough Council v Aylott: EAT 11 Mar 2009
Counsel appearing at the tribunal had previously sat as a judge with a tribunal member. The opposing party asserted bias in the tribunal. Held: The test in Gough should be restated in part so that the court must first ascertain all the circumstances which have a bearing on the suggestion that the judge was biased. … Continue reading Lawal v Northern Spirit Limited: HL 19 Jun 2003
There is no rule of law, to suggest that a sole director and owner of majority of shareholding, could not be an employee of that company, and be entitled to a redundancy payment on the liquidation of the company. ‘If the tribunal considers that the contract is not a sham, it is likely to wish … Continue reading Secretary of State for Trade and Industry v Bottrill: CA 12 Feb 1999
Dr M had successfully challenged her dismissal and recovered damages for unfair dismissal and race discrimination. In the interim, Her employer HA had reported the dismissal to the respondent who continued their proceedings despite the decision in her favour. The GMC now said that the availability of judicial review excluded her right to commence proceedings … Continue reading Michalak v General Medical Council and Others: SC 1 Nov 2017
ECFI Common foreign and security policy – Restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities associated with Usama bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda network and the Taliban – Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 – Freezing of a person’s funds and economic resources as a result of his inclusion in a list drawn up by a body of … Continue reading Kadi v Commission: ECFI 30 Sep 2010
Mr Leander had been refused employment at a museum located on a naval base, having been assessed as a security risk on the basis of information stored on a register maintained by State security services that had not been disclosed him. Mr Leander complained that he should have been provided with the information in question, … Continue reading Leander v Sweden: ECHR 26 Mar 1987
The Claimant was employed by the Respondent as a cleaner. He is a national of Guinea Bissau but married to an EEA national exercising Treaty rights in the UK. That being so, the Tribunal correctly found that the Respondent was not at any risk in continuing to employ him after his residence permit expired. However, … Continue reading Sanha v Facilicom Cleaning Services Ltd (Unfair Dismissal): EAT 25 Feb 2020
(Brunei) The defendants were a one-man company, BLT, and the one man, Mr Tan. A dishonest third party to a breach of trust was liable to make good a resulting loss even though he had received no trust property. The test of knowledge was an objective one: ”knowingly’ was better avoided as a defining ingredient … Continue reading Royal Brunei Airlines SDN BHD v Tan: PC 24 May 1995
EAT Four employees successfully established before the Employment Tribunal that they had been unfairly dismissed for redundancy. The Tribunal found that there had been procedural defects. In particular the assessments in the redundancy exercise had been inadequate and subjective. The Tribunal considered whether the dismissals were fair under section 98A(2) of the Employment Rights Act … Continue reading Software 2000 Ltd v Andrews etc: EAT 17 Jan 2007
Ex turpi causa non oritur actio A claim was made for the price of goods which the plaintiff sold to the defendant in Dunkirk, knowing that the defendant’s purpose was to smuggle the goods into England. The plaintiff was met with a defence of illegality. Held: The defence failed. Knowledge on the part of the … Continue reading Holman v Johnson: 5 Jul 1775
The use of covert listening devices within a police station was an infringement of the right to privacy, since there was no system of law regulating such practices. That need not affect the right to a fair trial. The prosecution had a duty to disclose all relevant evidence to the defence. In this case the … Continue reading PG and JH v The United Kingdom: ECHR 25 Sep 2001
The defendants appealed grant of an interim injunction to enforce restrictive employment covenants. The second defendant had sold his interest in the claimant company in 2001, but after his consultancy ended, he set up another business, the third defendant. The first defendant had worked for the claimant, but left o work in the third defendant … Continue reading EE and Brian Smith (1928) Ltd v Hodson and others: CA 23 Nov 2007
The claimant succeeded in her claim for unfair dismissal, but now appealed against the reversal of the decision by the EAT. She had been dismissed for incapability to which she had contributed by her conduct. She had refused a move to another bank of the branch which would upset her child care arrangements. She was … Continue reading McAdie v Royal Bank of Scotland: CA 31 Jul 2007
An order for a journalist to disclose the name of an employee disclosing his employer’s information, may be made where there was a need to identify a disloyal employee. Here drafts of accounts had been released to embarrass the company. The documents involved were stolen, and a return of them would enable identification of the … Continue reading Camelot Group plc v Centaur Communications Limited: CA 23 Oct 1997
Various parties challenged the granting and withholding of licenses to operate as door supervisors (bouncers). The SIA regulated the grant of licences, and published criteria for their grant. It had been said that the inclusing of very minor offences in the category of offences requiring refusal of a licence, was unreasonable if a court did … Continue reading Security Industry Authority v Stewart and Sansara: Admn 17 Oct 2007
EAT UNFAIR DISMISSAL – Mitigation of lossThe Claimants worked for Respondent 1 who supplied window cleaning services under contract to a local authority. The contract was subject to a re-tendering process; Respondent 2 was successful and the contract passed to them. R2 refused to accept the Claimants as employees and, instead, made them offers of … Continue reading F and G Cleaners v Saddington and Others: EAT 16 Aug 2012
Four children complained that, for years before they were taken into care by the local authority, its social services department was well aware that they were living in filthy conditions and suffering ‘appalling’ neglect in the home of their parents. Suspicions of abuse had arisen in 1987, but they were given effective support only in … Continue reading Z And Others v The United Kingdom: ECHR 10 May 2001
The respondent had at the close of the claimant’s case submitted that it had no case to answer. The tribunal agreed and discharged the claim without hearing from the respondent. The employer appealed the EAT’s decision to allow her appeal. Held: Stopping the case was a step which no reasonable tribunal, properly directing itself, would … Continue reading Logan v Commissioners of Customs and Excise: CA 23 Jul 2003
The claimant appealed the refusal of her claim for a finding that her dismissal was automatically unfair. She had been employed for less than a year, and had taken several absences to care for her child. She claimed protection saying that her absences had been ‘dependants leave’. Held: When considering such a claim, the tribunal … Continue reading Qua v John Ford Morrison (Solicitors): EAT 14 Jan 2003
The applicant had been born and registered as a female, but later came to receive treatment and to live as a male. He complained that the respondent had failed to amend his birth certificate. Held: The court accepted that, by failing to confer on a transsexual a right to an amended birth certificate, the state … Continue reading Rees v The United Kingdom: ECHR 17 Oct 1986
The employee was a transsexual, awaiting completion of surgical transformation to a woman. The employer said she could not use the female toilet facilities, but was offered use of the unisex disabled facilities. Held: The 1975 Act provides for a category of persons who are not to be discriminated against. By virtue of the definition … Continue reading Croft v Royal Mail Group Plc (formerly Consignia Group plc): CA 18 Jul 2003
The court heard six claims against companies restored to the register of companies to make claims under their insurance policies for personal injury in the form of death from mesothelioma from asbestos, and particularly whether liability could be found under the 1930 Act. The insurers maintained that any liability arose at the time of the … Continue reading Employers’ Liability Policy ‘Trigger’ Litigation; Durham v BAI (Run off) Ltd etc: QBD 21 Nov 2008
The applicant sought disclosure of certain organisations who had provided placements for those seeking work. They said that in the past disclosure had led to adverse publicity for those organisations, and refused disclosure under the department’s commercial interests and those of the organisations involved. The Department now appealed from a decision that the qualified exemption … Continue reading Department for Work and Pensions v The Information Commissioner and Another: CA 27 Jul 2016
The claimant advanced funds to the respondent for him to invest in a bank of which the claimant had insider knowledge. In fact the defendant did not invest the funds, the knowledge was incorrect. The defendant however did not return the sums advanced, saying he need not return it because the contract was for an … Continue reading Patel v Mirza: SC 20 Jul 2016
The court considered the liability of insurers of companies now wound up for mesothelioma injuries suffered by former employees of those companies, and in particular whether the 1930 Act could be used to impose liability. The insurers now appealed against findings that some policies, those which insured against injury ‘sustained’ during the policy period, as … Continue reading Employers’ Liability Insurance ‘Trigger’ Litigation: BAI (Run Off) Ltd v Durham and Others: SC 28 Mar 2012
The Court considered whether, on exercising a break clause in a lease, the tenant was entitled to recover rent paid in advance. Held: The appeal failed. The Court of Appeal had imposed what was established law. The test for whether a clause might be implied in a contract is: ‘that it is necessary for business … Continue reading Marks and Spencer Plc v BNP Paribas Securities Services Trust Company (Jersey) Ltd and Another: SC 2 Dec 2015
Transfer of Undertakings; Share Incentive Plan; Obligation ‘In Connection With’ The Contract of Employment The claimant’s contract of employment transferred to the appellant under TUPE, 2006 on 1 May 2020. Prior to the transfer, he had been a member of a Share Incentive Plan operated by the transferor which he had joined in August 2018 … Continue reading Ponticelli UK Ltd v Gallagher: EAT 12 Sep 2022
The deceased died in a road traffic accident whilst serving in the Armed forces in Germany. The driver was insured under German law. The widow now claimed damages in England. She had entered a new relationship. Held: The object of section 844 of the German regulations was to restore the claimant to the financial position … Continue reading Cox v Ergo Versicherung Ag and Another: QBD 28 Oct 2011
This appeal concerns the directly effective right of police officers under EU law to have the principle of equal treatment applied to them. The question raised is whether the enforcement of that right by means of proceedings in the Employment Tribunal is barred by the principle of judicial immunity, where the allegedly discriminatory conduct is … Continue reading P v Commissioner of Police of The Metropolis: SC 25 Oct 2017
The claimant alleged that she had been discrimated against in her work for the appellant, a member of the diplomatic staff at the Saudi Embassy in London. She now appealed against a decision that the respondent had diplomatic immunity. Held: The appeal was allowed: ‘the question whether the exception in article 31(1)(c) would have applied … Continue reading Reyes v Al-Malki and Another: SC 18 Oct 2017
The appellant had been charged with and disciplined for a prison offence. He was refused legal assistance at his hearing, and it was accepted that the proceedings involved the determination of a criminal charge within the meaning of article 6 of the Convention, that the deputy controller was not an independent tribunal and that the … Continue reading Greenfield, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: HL 16 Feb 2005
