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Employment law brief: 13 November 2020

11 November 2020 / Ian Smith
Issue: 7910 / Categories: Features , Employment
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After a quiet few weeks, Ian Smith breaks the silence & tackles a Polkey reduction & the meaning of ‘because of’...

In brief

  • Constructive dismissal; communicating by conduct.
  • ACAS uplift not applicable to whistleblowing cases.
  • Applying a Polkey reduction to loss of statutory rights.
  • Causation in discrimination cases—the meaning of ‘because of’.

Things on the employment law front have been rather quiet for the last few weeks. At the time of writing we are still awaiting the publication of two Supreme Court decisions (already heard) of major importance, namely in the Uber litigation on employment/worker status in gig economy cases and the Royal Mencap case which will hopefully square the circle on when the national minimum wage applies to on-call/living in carers. Both have economic implications beyond their purely legal significance. In the meantime, we have had three EAT cases reported last month on communicating acceptance of employer repudiation by conduct, applying a Polkey (Polkey v A E Dayton Services Ltd [1987] 3 All ER 974)

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Russell-Cooke—Susanna Heley

Russell-Cooke—Susanna Heley

Legal director appointment bolsters public and regulatory team

Slater Heelis—five appointments

Slater Heelis—five appointments

Firm appoints training partner and four new trainees

Bolt Burdon Kemp—Natasha Orr

Bolt Burdon Kemp—Natasha Orr

Firm strengthens military claims team with senior associate hire

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In this week's NLJ, Dr Jon Robins, editor of The Justice Gap and lecturer at Brighton University, reports on a campaign to posthumously exonerate Christine Keeler. 60 years after her perjury conviction, Keeler’s son Seymour Platt has petitioned the king to exercise the royal prerogative of mercy, arguing she was a victim of violence and moral hypocrisy, not deceit. Supported by Felicity Gerry KC, the dossier brands the conviction 'the ultimate in slut-shaming'
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