Court interprets woman’s will to enable all her children to inherit
September 7th 2021The High Court has reconciled contradictory instructions relating to a deceased woman’s estate so that all three of her children can receive an equal inheritance. Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor reports on this case. The court made the ruling after the trustees of a settlement applied for an interpretation of the woman’s will. Under the deed of settlement, the woman had a special power of appointment in respect of property in…
Nursing officer was dismissed for making protected disclosures
August 25th 2021The Employment Appeal Tribunal has upheld a decision that a nursing officer was dismissed solely because she had made protected disclosures. Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR reports on this recent case. The officer, Ms Fairhall, had worked in district nursing for University Hospital North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust for 38 years and managed 50 nursing staff. In 2015 she was commended for her care and leadership qualities.…
Worker subjected to abuse on WhatsApp awarded £25,000
August 20th 2021A woman who stumbled across a workplace WhatsApp group featuring racially abusive remarks about her has been awarded nearly £25,000 for unlawful harassment on the grounds of sex, race and religious belief. Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR reports on this recent case. The case involved Mrs Muna Abdi who worked as an operations clerk for Deltec in Hounslow. She was originally from Somalia and moved to the UK as…
Pitfalls of ‘no jab, no job’ policy for businesses across England
August 19th 2021IMPLEMENTING a ‘no jab, no job’ policy brings serious pitfalls for business across England, a leading employment lawyer has warned. While it will be the law in England from November 11 for all staff and volunteers in registered care home settings to show proof they have received both Covid-19 vaccinations to enable them to continue working there, unless clinically exempt, companies across other sectors need to be aware that introducing…
Government to place duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment
August 18th 2021The Government has announced it will introduce a duty on employers to prevent sexual harassment and consider extending the time limit for claims under the Equality Act 2010 from three to six months. Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR provides an update. There will also be explicit protections from third-party harassment. The measures are in response to the consultation on sexual harassment in the workplace, which ran from July to…
Supreme Court rules on burden of proof in employment claims
August 12th 2021The Supreme Court has upheld a decision that a postman had not been subjected to race discrimination when his applications for more than 30 jobs all failed. Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR reports on this recent case. In giving its judgment, the court clarified the correct approach to be taken by employment tribunals dealing with discrimination claims, particularly in reference to the burden of proof and whether any adverse…
Lasting Powers of Attorney to be made safer and simpler
August 5th 2021The process of managing a loved one’s affairs using a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is to be made simpler and safer. Jane Oakley a member of our Wills, Probate & Inheritance team provides an update. An LPA is a legal document that allows people to appoint someone else (an attorney) to make decisions about their welfare, money or property. They are often used by older people to choose someone…
Steps needed to reduce high fatality rate on farms
July 30th 2021FARMERS and agricultural workers are being urged to make health and safety more of a priority after fatalities on the farm doubled in the space of a year. Ahead of Injury Prevention Week which runs between August 2nd and August 6th 2021, Carol Fish an injury lawyer at Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors specialising in serious and catastrophic injuries, is raising awareness of the dangers around the farm after new data from…
What should you do if you or your staff are ‘pinged’ by the NHS COVID-19 App? Guidance for employers
July 22nd 2021It is being reported that there are an increasing number of people being ‘pinged’ by the NHS COVID-19 App. The terminology ‘pinged’ is referring to when a person is sent an alert by the App. The App sends anonymous alerts if the user has been in close contact with another app user who has tested positive and will notify them that they should self-isolate, thereby helping to break chains of…
Court outlines tests for delusional mindset when making a Will
July 21st 2021The High Court has outlined some tests for mental capacity and whether a person may have had delusional beliefs when making a Will. Peter Stafford Managing Director reports on this recent case. The issue arose following a family dispute involving a brother and sister. Their parents had divorced in 1980 when their mother discovered letters written by her husband which revealed that he had sexually abused his daughter, the sister in…
