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13 January 2017 / Ian Smith
Issue: 7729 / Categories: Features , Employment
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​Employment law brief

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Recent case law provides a good illustration of established rules in the longstanding law on unfair dismissal, says Ian Smith

 
  • Multiple reasons in constructive dismissal cases.
  • Using lapsed warnings.
  • The right approach to whistleblowing allegations.
  • Practicability in re-engagement claims.

What the four cases considered this month have in common is that, while breaking no new ground, they are good illustrations of established rules in our longstanding law on unfair dismissal. They cover multiple reasons in constructive dismissal cases, using lapsed warnings, the right approach to whistleblowing allegations and practicability in re-engagement claims.

Constructive dismissal—multiple reasons for leaving

It is well established that where there are two or more reasons for the employee leaving, he or she will still be able to claim constructive dismissal if at least one of them constituted a repudiatory breach by the employer, and that the tribunal must not take an overly “purist” approach by looking for the principal reason for leaving. The decision of Judge Shanks in Ishaq v Royal Mail Group UKEAT/0156/16 however shows

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NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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