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NLJ this week: Employment law’s fine margins

240108
From gender-critical speech to notice periods and incapability dismissals, employment law continues to turn on fine distinctions. In his latest employment law brief for NLJ, Ian Smith of Norwich Law School reviews a cluster of recent decisions, led by Bailey v Stonewall, where the Court of Appeal clarified the limits of third-party liability under the Equality Act

The court held that Stonewall’s actions were not a sufficient legal cause of Garden Court Chambers’ investigation, reinforcing a cautious approach to causation and ‘novus actus interveniens’.

Smith also examines practical lessons from the Employment Appeal Tribunal on extending notice by agreement, the need to consider all available evidence before dismissal for incapability, and the strict contractual meaning of ‘employer’ in collective redundancy law.

The unifying theme is precision: timing, evidence and statutory context matter. For employers and advisers, these cases underline how easily procedural missteps can tip the balance from lawful management to unfair dismissal. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

WSP Solicitors—David Ashcroft & Jessica O’Shea

WSP Solicitors—David Ashcroft & Jessica O’Shea

Commercial property and child law teams expand with senior hires

Duxton Hill Chambers—Lucas Bastin KC & Joshua Hiew

Duxton Hill Chambers—Lucas Bastin KC & Joshua Hiew

Set expands London and Singapore offering with senior international disputes hires

Gilson Gray—Gregor Duthie & Stephen Forsyth

Gilson Gray—Gregor Duthie & Stephen Forsyth

Firm strengthens real estate and litigation teams with partner promotions

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