Written by Carolyne Wahlen
One of the golf clubs we look after received a grievance letter from a staff member recently.
It started off with the claim that he was being “harassed, bullied and victimised” under the Equality Act 2010 (Which is always fun!).
Wow, all of those things at the same time?!
But the most telling part of it is that he did not state WHICH protected characteristic he was being persecuted for.
Written by Carolyne Wahlen
One of our clients averted disaster recently, with just one push of a button.
They’d received a grievance letter from an employee about one of their colleagues making rude and nasty comments about them.
We held the grievance meeting, and the employee gave plenty of detail, and provided witnesses, making it a pretty cut and dried case.
So, we then invited the colleague in for a disciplinary meeting.
She came alone (no companion), and sat down with us, the business owner and his PA.
We briefed the client on what to say and he seemed to understand it – from our perspective, the meeting went exactly as it needed to.
Which is why we were rather surprised to learn that the subject of the disciplinary (the employee accused of being rude and nasty) raised her own grievance, claiming that he’d started shouting at her during the meeting, and bullying her because she was female, older and “wanted to get rid” of her.
Red flag – the mention of age and sex immediately made us worry as a discrimination claim can mean an unlimited award at tribunal against the employer. [Read more…]
Written by Carolyne Wahlen
Are Christmas decorations religious discrimination?
No! Don’t worry, it’s not political correctness gone mad!
Religious belief is protected by the Equality Act 2010. It doesn’t stop the display of Christmas decorations in the workplace. In fact, it doesn’t stop any traditional customs under religious discrimination.
Written by Carolyne Wahlen
How much would you have to pay if you lost a discrimination case at tribunal – what is it capped at?
Bad news – it is unlimited! Which is why all those female city bankers can claim millions of pounds in compensation.
What irritates me more is when the NHS, who should know better, do the same. There was a case recently where a female surgeon from an ethnic minority successfully won her case of discrimination AND harassment against the NHS.
Written by Carolyne Wahlen
So. You’re a small business with just a few employees, and managing them is one job you have to do yourself. And do it well.
Learn from the costly traps that other employers have fallen into, with this free guide on the pitfalls you simply must avoid. Remember these are the seven biggest mistakes that employers make which lead straight to a tribunal and cost them their personal cash – so beware!
Written by Carolyne Wahlen
Right to time off for antenatal appointments
Under the new shared parental leave it is proposed to allow the husband, civil partner or partner of the pregnant women the right to unpaid time off to attend up to 2 ante-natal appointments.
Action: don’t laugh when a man asks for time to go to an antenatal appointment
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