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Employment law brief: 13 May 2020

13 May 2020 / Ian Smith
Issue: 7886 / Categories: Features , Employment , Covid-19
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As the shutters & umbrellas close at Carluccio’s, Ian Smith reflects on how the current emergency is starting to throw up case law on areas of potential conflict with standard tenets of employment law

In brief

  • Variation of contract and the government furloughing scheme.
  • Re-engagement if not the best candidate for the available job.
  • Duty to make reasonable adjustments and its application to electronic working.

The last month has seen further specific legislation to deal with the coronavirus emergency, in particular amending the rules on statutory sick pay again to deem very vulnerable people in preventive lockdown to be incapable of work and providing that furloughed employees on 80% of earnings can count their previous earnings if claiming statutory maternity pay, statutory paternity pay, statutory shared parental pay or statutory parental bereavement pay. This emergency is also starting to throw up case law on areas of potential conflict (or at least awkward overlaps) with standard tenets of employment law. The first case here is one such,

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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
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
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
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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