header-logo header-logo

Employment law brief: 14 July 2023

130124
Back to school already? Ian Smith sets out some instructive lessons from the courts on the definition of a worker, the conduct of disciplinary hearings, & the perils of making a mistake
  • The ‘worker’ definition and the use of a service company.
  • Who should conduct the disciplinary hearing in a misconduct dismissal case?
  • Can a judgment be reconsidered because of an error by a representative?

Three fairly fundamental questions are considered (and largely settled) by the cases considered this month. In the first case, the well-worn law on ‘worker’ status had to be applied to the novel (to employment law) context of the person claiming that status post-termination, having operated during their engagement through the intermediary of a service company. The result is instructive. In the second case, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) reconsidered the question of the fairness of a misconduct dismissal where the dismissing manager does not actually hear the disciplined employee, but relies on a report from an investigating officer. The pre-existing

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
back-to-top-scroll