Airport not liable for employee’s ‘racist’ social media post
September 16th 2019by Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR A security officer at Heathrow airport was unable to hold his employers liable for a racially offensive image he was subjected to on his colleague’s social media account. Mr O Forbes said he suffered harassment, victimisation and discrimination after fellow security officer Deborah Stevens posted to her personal Facebook page a picture of a ‘golliwog’ with the caption: “Let’s see how far…
Manager unfairly dismissed after locking customer in bank
September 12th 2019by Claire Davies Director A diabetic bank manager was discriminated against after being dismissed following an incident that saw him lock a customer in the branch. Mr B Kuppala was employed by HBOS for 14 years and worked his way up to manager of its Oxford Street Halifax branch. However, due to his diabetes, he made numerous security errors including leaving the keys to the branch in the doors and…
Warning to employers as number of disabled people in work rises
September 9th 2019By Carol Fish Director and Head of Serious & Catastrophic Injury Department The government has warned employers that disabled people should not be considered a burden or prevented from enjoying fulfilling careers. The latest figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that a record number of people have been supported by the Access to Work scheme, with 36,240 having received the grant in the last 12 months. Government…
Ambitious solicitor delighted to join dynamic Cumbrian firm
September 6th 2019LEADING legal firm Cartmell Shepherd has recruited an ambitious solicitor to further strengthen its team. Natalie Tatton joins the UK200 Group business as a solicitor in its dispute resolution department. Natalie, a former law graduate of the University of Cumbria, had previously trained with Brockbanks in West Cumbria at the same time as completing her Legal Practice Course at Northumbria University. Natalie qualified as a solicitor in May 2018. Based…
Landlord wins dispute with tenant over service charge for insurance
September 5th 2019By Natalie Tatton Solicitor A landlord has won a dispute with a tenant over service charges for insurance dating back nearly 15 years. The case involved a tenant who held the lease of a flat in a building comprising of three flats and a commercial unit. Under the lease, the tenant covenanted to contribute one-sixth of the building’s specified costs and expenses, including insurance, through the service charge. Between 2005…
Help to Buy scheme to start allowing 35-year mortgages
September 2nd 2019By Elizabeth Crouch Head of Residential Conveyancing Homeowners buying a property under Help to Buy are now allowed to take out 35-year mortgages. The government has moved to close what it describes as a loophole, which has seen purchasers using the scheme facing difficulties and uncertainty if they wanted to take out a mortgage with a term of more than 25 years. Under the changes, which are taking effect immediately,…
More additions to ‘Good Work Plan’ to protect low-paid workers
August 20th 2019By Claire Davies Director The government has introduced a new set of additions to its ‘Good Work Plan’ which aims to increase the rights of workers. Some of the key elements of the scheme include: workers to be given enhanced rights to tackle unscrupulous employers who do not comply with the law a new body that will enforce holiday pay for vulnerable workers and ensure agency workers are not underpaid…
UK house prices jumped 0.7% between March and April
July 31st 2019By Elizabeth Crouch Head of Residential Conveyancing The latest House Price Index figures show that the cost of an average home in the UK jumped 0.7% between March and April. The annual rise to April was 1.4%, bringing the cost of the average property to £228,903. In England, the annual rise was 1.1%, with the average property costing £245,128. The regional data for England shows that: the North East experienced…
Buyer of insurance firm compensated for warranty breach
July 29th 2019A company has been compensated for a breach of warranty after it bought an insurance firm. David Tew Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. The case involved a firm that sold policies related to motor or household insurance. When it was sold in 2014, the seller provided warranties that the company accounts were accurate and a fair representation of the company’s financial situation. The agreement stated that the seller…
Parental leave is not equivalent to statutory maternity leave
July 25th 2019By Joanne Stronach Head of Employment & HR Two recent cases involving fathers taking paternity leave have highlighted a defining difference between parental leave and a mother’s statutory maternity leave. One male employee who worked for a technology firm sued for sex discrimination after his employers insisted he should not be paid at the same rate as mothers on statutory maternity leave. A similar case saw a policeman claim sex…
