Rate for unfair dismissal and redundancy pay awards rise by nearly 9%
April 22nd 2024The maximum limit for unfair dismissal awards and statutory redundancy pay has risen by nearly 9%. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment provides an update. The increase takes into account the high rate of inflation over the last year. The new rate is effective from 6 April. The statutory cap for a week’s pay when assessing compensation for unfair dismissal is now £700, up from £643 during the previous 12 months.…
Employee unfairly dismissed over alleged sexual remarks awarded £60k
April 15th 2024A mental health practitioner who was unfairly dismissed over alleged sexual remarks has been awarded £60,000 compensation. Jennifer Cafferky Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. The Employment Tribunal ruled that the investigation carried out by the employer had not been reasonable. The case involved Mr G, who was an experienced professional with 23 years unblemished service with City of York Council. A colleague made a formal complaint,…
Flexible working rights for millions of employees come into effect
April 8th 2024Millions of employees now have the right to request flexible working to determine where and when they work. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment provides an update. The new rights are part of the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill, which came into effect on 6 April. Flexible working is a broad term and can relate to working hours or pattern including part-time, term-time, flexi-time, compressed hours, or adjusting start and finish…
‘No Fault’ divorce applications fall by 12% after initial surge
March 27th 2024The number of ‘No Fault’ divorce applications has fallen significantly following the initial surge when the new system came into effect in 2022. Sarah Hinett, Paralegal in our Family Law Team reports. Government figures show that in July to September 2023, there were 27,290 divorce applications. That was down 12% compared with the same quarter in 2022, which was the second quarter following the start of the new divorce law. It’s thought…
Transgender worker loses harassment claim over ‘deadnaming’
March 26th 2024A transgender worker has lost her claim that she was harassed when she was ‘deadnamed’ on the staff rota. Jennifer Cafferky Solicitor in our employment team, reports on this recent case. Deadnaming means using the name a transgender person was given at birth instead of the name they adopt after transitioning. The case involved Mandie Monroe, a trans woman who worked for Central Bedfordshire Council. On the application form for the…
Cohabitation – there’s no such thing as a ‘common law wife’
March 25th 2024I don’t know if there’s something in the River Tyne, but Cartmell Shepherd has experienced a significant increase in enquiries from people looking for legal advice about cohabitation. On more than one occasion recently, I`ve been stopped in various locations “for a quick chat” about someone`s “common law” rights. In less than a century, how we “do” romantic relationships has shifted massively. Gone are the days when the only acceptable…
Early legal advice for separating couples but no mandatory mediation
March 15th 2024Separating couples will get early legal advice as part of the Government’s family court reforms, but the idea of introducing mandatory mediation has been scrapped. Joanne Grey Senior Associate Solicitor in our family law team reports on this recent case. A legal advice pilot will be launched to help families agree child arrangements quickly, addressing barriers to early resolution including a lack of understanding of the options available such as mediation, which will…
We’re proud to support Update Your Will Week 2024
March 7th 2024This week is Update Your Will Week (4th–10thMarch), an annual campaign hosted by The Association of Lifetime Lawyers. It aims to raise awareness around the risks of not having an up to date Will and encourages people to update their Will to ensure their wishes are carried out when they die. Why is it important to have an up to date Will? Having an up to date, well-drafted Will is…
Manager loses tribunal claim over right to work only from home
March 3rd 2024A senior manager has lost her tribunal claim for the right to work entirely from home. Joanne Stronach Director and Head of Employment reports on this recent case. The case involved Miss Wilson, who works for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The FCA allowed her to work from home during Covid for health reasons. When Covid restrictions eased at the end of 2022, she applied to change her terms of employment…
Children to remain with mother even though she abducted them
February 28th 2024A court has ruled that two children should remain with their mother even though she abducted them and retained them unlawfully. Shannon Bateson, Solicitor in our family law team reports on this recent case. The case involved a Polish couple who moved to Scotland with their three-year-old son in 2013. They then had a second son who was born in 2015. The family remained in Scotland until July 2021, when they returned…
