Employment Law Update March 2011

Problem with the draft regulations for the abolition of the default retirement age

The government has now published the draft regulations for the abolishment of the default retirement age later this year, but there is a problem with the way the transitional provisions have been drafted. Employers may force the retirement of...

Government outlines reforms to employer-sponsored immigration

The government has published a ‘statement of intent’ setting out how the points-based immigration system will change from 6 April 2011. The changes include a limit of 20,700 on the number of immigrants that can enter under the general tier known...

Right to request time off for training will not be extended in April

The government has announced that it will not extend the right to request time off for training to those employed by small and medium-sized employers in April 2011. Following consultation, the government is delaying the implementation so that ‘the...

Consultation on reforming the tribunal system published

The much anticipated consultation on reforming access to the employment tribunal system, 'Resolving workplace disputes', has now been published. As expected, the government proposals include increasing the minimum qualifying period for unfair dismissal...

Lewd comment did not justify summary dismissal

In Bowater v NW London Hospitals NHS Trust the Court of Appeal has held that an employment tribunal did not unlawfully substitute its own opinion for that of the employer by having regard to how ‘a large proportion of the population’ would...

Employment Law Q&A - Social Media

We looked at online networking back in the summer of 2010, but since then there has been a huge growth in ‘social media’. This month’s Q & A addresses the impact social media potentially has on the workplace. The Trades Union Congress...