BP employees must disclose intimate relationships or risk losing jobs, Unite refuses to endorse Labour's manifesto
THE HOT STORY
BP employees must disclose intimate relationships or risk losing jobs
BP employees have been informed that they must disclose any intimate relationships with colleagues or face the risk of losing their job. The policy update comes after the company's former CEO, Bernard Looney, was fired for failing to disclose such a relationship. The updated conflicts of interest policy prohibits employees from managing relatives or those with whom they are in an intimate relationship. Failure to comply with the new requirements may result in disciplinary action, including potential dismissal. In addition, senior leaders are required to declare any intimate relationships occurring within the last three years. BP's investigation into Looney's conduct has concluded, but the findings have not yet been disclosed. The partner of new BP CEO Murray Auchincloss is also a BP employee, a relationship Auchincloss disclosed prior to becoming chief financial officer in 2020.
EMPLOYMENT LAW
Unite refuses to endorse Labour's manifesto
Daily Mail The Independent
Labour's largest union donor, Unite, has refused to endorse the party's manifesto, dealing a blow to Keir Starmer's election campaign. The decision came as a shock to members of the shadow cabinet, including David Lammy, who expressed his surprise. The party's stance on practices like fire-and-rehire is believed to be the reason behind Unite's refusal. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham, who has previously called for stronger employment rights, cancelled planned talks with reporters after the meeting. The union donated £3m to Labour's campaign in 2019 and warned last year that there were "no blank cheques" for the party. Momentum, a left-wing group, also expressed disappointment with the party's commitments.
Workers could face sack for pulling a sickie after Euros match, warns legal expert
The Sun
Workers could be sacked for pulling a sickie after England's first match of the Euros, warns Jayne Harrison, head of employment law at Richard Nelson. Employment lawyers are advising football supporters to think twice before faking illness, as employers can investigate and take disciplinary action over unauthorised absence. Office worker Nina Farooqi was sacked after her bosses spotted her on TV celebrating a Harry Kane goal at Wembley during Euro 2020. Harrison advises fans to book annual leave or take advantage of flexible working arrangements. Similar warnings were given ahead of the World Cup in Qatar.
PwC asks for silence from departing staff in programme of UK job cuts
People affected by a round of “silent lay-offs” at PwC in the UK have been ordered not to tell colleagues why they are leaving and given “suggested wording” for farewell messages.
CASES
Tesco manager sacked for inappropriate 'secret Santa' gift
Daily Mail The Times
A Tesco store manager was unfairly sacked after he gave a female colleague a sex toy as a "secret Santa" gift and another such item for her birthday. An employment tribunal heard that Shoaib Razaq admitted that it was a "terrible decision" to make a present of the sex toy. He was dismissed as store manager for gross misconduct after it was determined that he had "abused his position of trust." The decision was made despite the female recipient of the "inappropriate gift" acknowledging that the manager had given it to her in a "joking manner" and other employees had handed out sex toys. Razaq has now successfully sued for unfair dismissal and race discrimination after a judge determined that supermarket bosses had failed to ensure "basic steps" were taken when investigating the allegations against him. His compensation from Tesco is however likely to be reduced after the tribunal found he had contributed to his dismissal by buying the sex toy. The tribunal concluded that Tesco bosses had not properly investigated the misconduct claims and had little concern with what the precise allegations were against the store manager.
Sonographer awarded nhs payout after being called "anti-vaxer"
The Times Daily Mail The Daily Telegraph
An ultrasound technician is set to receive an NHS payout after being labelled an "anti-vaxer" for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine due to allergies. Gail Lauder's decision not to be vaccinated was based on her medical history and caution towards medicines. She also cited the risk of allergic reactions preventing her from wearing the required medical-grade masks. The employment tribunal ruled that NHS bosses calling her an "anti-vaxer" amounted to "unfavourable treatment" and drew on stereotypes. The judge accepted Lauder's evidence that her decision was personal and not against vaccination in general. Lauder sued Tayside Health Board for disability discrimination and harassment and is now entitled to compensation. Lauder had worked as a sonographer at Ninewells Hospital and faced negative reactions from colleagues after they became aware of her vaccination status. She triggered the hospital's grievance process before resigning in 2022.
Former cabin crew member claims discrimination over hairstyle
Daily Star Express.co.uk Mirror.co.uk
A former cabin crew member claims she was forced to leave her job with Jet2 due to her "extreme" hair style, despite male colleagues having similar short haircuts. Marion McKay is seeking £22,000 in compensation from the airline for emotional distress and loss of earnings. Jet2 denies any wrongdoing. McKay's lawyer argued that she was treated more stringently because she is female, and that the company's hairstyle policy should be applied evenly between men and women. The tribunal will deliver its verdict in 28 days.
Teacher sacked after she refused to move schools because it 'worsened her menopause' wins discrimination case
Daily Mail
A Scottish teacher has won over £60,000 in a discrimination case after being sacked for refusing to move schools due to the worsening of her menopause symptoms. Allison Shearer, who taught at Clydesdale Support Base in Carluke, believed the transfer was a punishment for objecting to supervising a pupil vaping. Despite her pleas and the school's Occupational Health report, her concerns were ignored, and she was eventually dismissed. Shearer successfully sued South Lanarkshire Council for disability discrimination and unfair dismissal, and was awarded £61,074 in damages. The tribunal found that her aggravated symptoms and sickness absence were directly linked to the instruction to move schools. The judge stated that no reasonable employer would have insisted on her teaching at the new school given the impact on her health. The judge also noted that there was no evidence to support her claim that the vaping argument caused her transfer.
Whitbread workers threaten legal action over job cuts
The Guardian
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More than 1,500 workers at Whitbread-owned restaurants are threatening legal action over alleged poor consultation on job cuts and closures. The Unite union claims that a 45-day consultation period has not been conducted genuinely or meaningfully. Whitbread plans to exit over 200 restaurants, but some affected workers have yet to be informed of site closures. The company is looking to sell 126 unprofitable restaurants and close 112 more, converting them into hotel rooms. The lead organiser for the hospitality sector at Unite called the treatment of workers "morally reprehensible and potentially unlawful." Whitbread denies the allegations and says it has a comprehensive consultation process in place. Unite claims that staff from the restaurants have been offered a less generous payoff compared to head office workers.
British troops' concerns over RAF Sea King helicopter exhaust inhalation
British troops flying on RAF Sea King search-and-rescue helicopters expressed their genuine concern about exhaust inhalation over 20 years ago. Crew members were constantly exposed to exhaust gases without protective equipment or modifications to reduce risk. More than 100 pilots and aircrew are suing the Ministry of Defence after being diagnosed with cancer, believed to be caused by toxic fumes. Former service personnel have been diagnosed with various cancers at young ages. Despite this, no risk-mitigating measures have been implemented. Louisa Donaghy, a senior associate at Hugh James solicitors, said: "Hugh James is speaking to approximately 100 individuals with concerns. We strongly advise anyone who believes they may have been exposed to carcinogenic fumes to seek medical advice and to be informed about their legal options."
Channel 4 launches investigation into staff suicide
Daily Mail London Evening Standard
An external law firm has been brought in to examine the case of a member of staff who committed suicide after working on Channel 4's true crime series "In the Footsteps of Killers." The staff member fell ill with constant dizziness, migraines, insomnia, and pain, which led to his deteriorating mental health. The symptoms arose after he became exhausted working on the show and felt threatened by someone connected to a person he was researching. Channel 4 has launched an independent investigation into the incident and is offering support to the staff member's family.
Scottish police officers threaten to quit over unfair pension changes
One in three senior Scottish police officers could quit their jobs in a row over pensions, according to the Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS). The ASPS has raised a formal dispute with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority over changes that could cost their members thousands of pounds. The force's senior leaders unanimously backed the move. The dispute stems from a decision to charge interest on a sum that allows officers to access additional benefits following pension reforms. The ASPS president, Rob Hay, stated that many members would retire rather than incur further interest payments. A Police Scotland spokesman stated that it would work closely with staff to support the implementation of the remedy and minimise the impact on those affected.
Former trader sues bank for £2.6m bonus
Daily Mail
A former Deutsche Bank trader, Shikha Gupta, is suing the bank for £2.6m after not receiving an individual bonus for nearly a decade. Ms Gupta worked for Deutsche Bank's non-core operating unit and helped dispose of billions of dollars of assets for the bank. She claims she was promised a considerable individual bonus but was only given £21,250 for 2016. Deutsche Bank argues that no formal guarantee was provided for the bonus and that it was unaffordable due to the bank's financial situation.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Women underrepresented in senior positions at City law firms
City AM
The Solicitors Regulation Authority's diversity data tool shows that women are underrepresented at partner levels in law firms of all sizes, particularly at larger operations. Women make up just 37% of partnerships and 32% of full equity partners at City law firms, despite representing more than half of the solicitor profession. Women often taking the lead role in parenting has been flagged as one of the reasons behind the discrepancy. To address this, Jenner & Block's London managing partner, Christine Braamskamp, has revamped the firm's parental leave policy, increasing fully paid leave for new fathers to up to 20 weeks.
Many LGBT workers still face discrimination at work
The Times
Many LGBT workers say that they still face discrimination at work, according to research from Randstad UK, which found that a third of LGBT employees surveyed said the discrimination they faced at work had become worse in the past five years, and 38% claimed it had even affected their remuneration. Victoria Short, Randstad UK’s chief executive, said: "We need to commit to fostering inclusive environments where every individual can thrive."
WORKPLACE
Workplace conflict affects job satisfaction and health, says study
The Independent UK
People who experience workplace conflict, such as humiliation, discrimination, or verbal abuse, are more likely to have lower job satisfaction and poorer mental and physical health, according to a study by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The research found that one in four employees has experienced conflict at work in the past year. The most common causes of conflict were poor management practices and excessive workloads. The study also revealed that those who reported conflict had less confidence in senior leaders and less trust in their integrity. The CIPD calls for employers to address the underlying causes of conflict and provide line management training to foster positive relationships and address conflict early on.
TAX
Broadcaster Adrian Chiles faces £1.7m tax bill after losing appeal with HMRC
Daily Telegraph Daily Mail
TV presenter Adrian Chiles is facing a £1.7m tax bill after losing an appeal with HM Revenue & Customs over his employment status at ITV and the BBC. Chiles, who has been locked in a 10-year legal battle with the tax authority, won the case in February 2022 but HMRC appealed the decision. The Upper-Tier Tribunal ruled that "errors of law" had informed the judgement, sending the case back to the First-Tier Tribunal. HMRC argues that Chiles should have been classified as an employee and paid tax accordingly. If he loses, Chiles will owe £1.2m in income taxes and almost £500,000 in National Insurance Contributions. The case is part of HMRC's crackdown on taxpayers believed to be "disguised employees" who funnel their income through personal service companies. Other presenters, such as Kaye Adams and Gary Lineker, have also been involved in similar disputes with HMRC. Susan Ball of accounting firm RSM said the employment tax rules at the centre of the case are complex and often catch people out. Dave Chaplin of tax advisory firm IR35 Shield criticised the power imbalance between taxpayers and HMRC in these cases and called for reform of the system. HMRC said it seeks to resolve disputes out of court and only litigates when necessary.