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Chris Dobbs
 

How to conduct Disciplinary Procedures: Advice for Employers

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Chris Dobbs looks at disciplinary procedures, outlining the importance of ensuring they are fair and the legal risks to avoid.

Employment Status and Contracts - How to get it right

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Here, Chris talks about defining employment status, for employees, workers and the self employed, contractual relations and compliance and more.

Recruitment: The legal implications that employers need to know

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In Chris' first monthly webinar, he looked at recruitment and talked about the legal implications for employers, including the key legislation, GDPR and how to mitigate potential claims.

Was British Airways Pilot's sacking fair after refusing to wear mask?

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In his latest article, Employment Associate Chris Dobbs looks at a recent covid case, yes in 2023, where a British Airways pilot was dismissed after refusing to wear a mask on the basis of a protected belief.

Can Using a Swear Word Be Discriminatory on the Basis of Sex or Gender Reassignment?

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Chris Dobbs looks at Fischer v London United Busways Limited where the employment tribunal chose to tackle the tricky issue of whether language can carry gender connotations.

Frettens advise in key taxi worker status case

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Frettens acted for local company United Taxis in a key case at the Employment Appeal Tribunal in March of this year.

Thanks to the assistance of our specialist Employment Team, the client received a successful result as the claimant involved was held not to be a worker or employee of United Taxis.

The Cost of Sexual Harassment: Chris Dobbs discusses

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In this article, Employment Expert Chris Dobbs takes a look at the details of a recent sexual harassment case and outlines some takeaways for employers.

Flexible Working Bill passed: What does it mean for employers?

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The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill had its third reading in the House of Lords recently, meaning it’s one step closer to passing and becoming law.

Here, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs outlines what the Flexible Working Bill is and the changes it proposes for employers.

Chris' Summary from our Unfair Dismissal Mock Tribunal

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Here, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs has provided a summary of the case used in our recent mock tribunal for those who werent able to attend as well as any attendees who want a recap.

Employers: How to handle Workplace Grievances in 2023

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In his latest article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs provides advice for dealing with employee grievances and details the importance of a grievance policy.

New family friendly rights become law

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Here, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs details the new family friendly rights which are set to become law and outlines what this means for employees and employers.

Government Proposes New Changes to Worker Rights

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In a written statement yesterday, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade made it clear that the Government’s proposed EU Revocation Bill will now not contain a so called sunset clause.

Chris breaks down what this means for workers rights.

Case Law Update: Discrimination Arising from a Disability

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Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case of Section 15 discrimination arising from a disability and outlines some key takeaways for employers.

The Importance of getting the dismissal process right

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In this article, Chris Dobbs, Employment Solicitor at Frettens, outlines the importance of getting the dismissal process right and what can happen if you get things wrong.

30% Increase in Workplace Grievances reported at Employment Tribunal

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According to a survey conducted by XpertHR, employers are seeing a significant increase in the number of internal grievances.

In his latest article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs outlines why grievance reporting has increased and considers how employers should handle such grievances.

Marital Status Discrimination: A Rare Claim

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Section 8 of the Equality Act 2010 outline marriage and civil partnerships to be a protected characteristic. In a recent case, which Chris Dobbs looks at in this article, the EAT made it clear that the test requires proof of marriage.

Government Consultations: Menopause and Fire & Rehire

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In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs outlines how the Government has responded to the consultations and discusses whether their response has been adequate in dealing with these issues or not.

Court of Appeals Rules on Covid-19 Unfair Dismissal

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Recently, the Court of Appeals has ruled on a Covid 19 Unfair Dismissal case. In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs outlines what led to the court of appeals verdict and discusses what it means for employers regarding similar dismissals.

Worker unfairly dismissed for taking 'disloyal' lunch break

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Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case were an employee was sacked for taking a lunch break during a 'time of crisis'.

Long-Covid Case Fails Disability Test

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In the latest case exploring employment issues which arose during the pandemic, an Employment Tribunal in Scotland was asked to apply the Equality Act test to long-covid.

In his latest article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs looks at what the tribunal ruled and gives some key takeaways for employers.

Maternity Leave: Rights On Return

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In his latest article, Employment Partner Paul Burton looks at a recent case regarding maternity discrimination and outlines what employers should take away from it.

The problem with the statutory defence to discrimination claims

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In his latest article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs looks at the problem with the statutory ‘reasonable steps’ defence to discrimination claims.

He looks at where the defence fails, and discusses the importance of up to date employment training.

Quiet Quitting: An employment solicitor's view

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Quiet quitting is the latest topical phrase to hit the workplace headlines and involves people essentially doing the bare minimum in their workplace.

In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs dives deeper into quiet quitting; debating whether it is an actual problem and outlining how employers can combat the issue.

EU Retained Law: What it means for you

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The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill is set to revoke certain EU legislation, including, potentially, TUPE, The Working Time Regulations and more.

In his latest article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs looks at this bill in further detail and outlines the potential changes that could occur as a result of it.

Menopause in the workplace: Showing support and preventing legal claims

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In his latest article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs looks at a recent study study which found that menopause is still a difficult topic in the workplace and provides advice for employers regarding menopause in the workplace.

How to avoid making redundancies

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As a business, redundancies will obviously want to be avoided where possible due to the massive impact that they have on the business and, most importantly, employees and their livelihoods.

In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs outlines how redundancies can be avoided and the alternatives to redundancy.

Time Limits in the Employment Tribunal

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In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs answers some common questions from Claimants and Respondents on time limits for tribunal claims.

How far does protection for whistleblowing run in misconduct dismissals?

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Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case where an employee was dismissed following whistleblowing. Chris discusses the implications behind the case for employers.

Employment Status and the Ready Mixed Concrete Test

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Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case where employment status was questioned. Chris outlines the case's outcome and discusses the implications for employers.

Tribunal rules that Long Covid IS a disability

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In a recent case, an employment tribunal decided that an employee who suffered from long covid was considered disabled. Employment Law solicitor Chris Dobbs discusses this decision and the implications for employers.

What happens when an Early Conciliation certificate is late?

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We all know that Acas must be notified of every potential claim to the Tribunal. But what happens if an early conciliation certificate is submitted late? In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs discusses…

Pregnant Employee awarded £185,000 after her dismissal

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Chris Dobbs discusses a recent remedy judgement where an employee was handed a large gross sum following their dismissal. The primary reason for their dismissal was pregnancy.

'Workplace banter' lawsuits at an all-time high

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In this article, Chris Dobbs looks at the rise in 'workplace banter' references in tribunal cases. Chris discusses to what extend certainbehaviour is considered 'banter' and looks at the risks of relying on 'banter' in court.

Is the Platinum Jubilee a paid holiday?

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In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs outlines what employers should consider over the Jubilee weekend regarding paid holiday entitlements.

Can whistleblowers take confidential documents for legal advice?

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In a recent case, an employee removed confidential information from their employer in order to ‘attain legal advice’.

Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs discusses the following tribunal case and the key takeaways for employers.

Redundancy: How not to do it

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In this article, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs looks at the recent mass redundancy of P&O employees that hit the news last week.

Chris answers some questions around redundancy consultation, discusses where it went wrong for P&O and looks at the key takeaways for employers.

Menopause Cases Still Proving Successful

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At a recent judgment in East London, the Tribunal found that a woman from Essex was unfairly dismissed and discriminated against on the grounds of her age and sex.

Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs takes a look at the case and further discusses menopause in the workplace.

Disability discrimination case in the Ministry of Justice

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A Reading Employment Tribunal found that a Solicitor-Judge was discriminated against after the Ministry of Justice, through HMCTS (HM Courts & Tribunals Service), failed to provide reasonable adjustments to the workplace.

Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs takes a look at this case, discussing the importance of reasonable adjustments for employers.

Can a fear of catching Covid be a belief?

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Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case where a claimant failed in her claim that her views on covid amounted to a belief. Chris details the ins and outs of the case and provides advice for employers going forward.

The Dos and Don'ts of Workplace Investigations

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Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs looks at the Yorkshire Cricket Club allegations, discussing the dos and don’ts of workplace investigations.

Preliminary Issues in Disability Discrimination Claims

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Chris Dobbs looks at a recent EAT case where disability and sex discrimination was claimed surrounding a woman's menopause symptoms. Chris discsses the key considerations for employers in such cases.

Top 5 Hybrid Working Considerations for Employers

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Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs outlines some key considerations for employers to try and limit the risk of hybrid working disputes and claims

Returning to work from Furlough - Q&A

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After the end of furlough, Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs answers some of your questions on returning to work, providing advice for employers on what grounds employees can refuse to return.

Topical Discrimination Issues Summary Video

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It was great to be back on Wednesday 15th September, when we held our first in-person employment event since the start of the pandemic. Thank you to those who turned up to the session, we very much enjoyed having you there. ...

How Final are Final Written Warnings?

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A recent Employment Appeal Tribunal case looked at the extent to which a Tribunal is expected to look beyond a ‘final written warning’ in assessing the fairness of a dismissal. Employment solicitor Chris Dobbs considers when a final written warning and a capability dismissal is unfair.

Can employers pay you less for working from home?

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Chris Dobbs discusses the legal implications of lowering the pay of employees working from home.

Unfair Dismissal and Criminality

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In our last HR Forum on disciplinary and dismissals, we covered the case of K v L, a teacher who lost his job after he was arrested on suspicion of possession of indecent images of children. Since then, the case has gone through Scotland's Court of...

COVID: Can I be dismissed for raising health & safety concerns?

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Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs looks at some recent cases surrounding unfair dismissal and covid related health & safety concerns, providing advice for employers when implementing workplace safety measures.

How have the changes to furlough impacted employers?

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There are still 1.5 million workers on furlough; and with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme beginning to wind-down, there are changes that impact both employers and employees. Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs discusses.

Lifting of Lockdown: Workplace Considerations

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Chris Dobbs, Employment Solicitor looks at what employers should consider when lockdown restrictions are lifted in the workplace.

Section 44 health and safety detriment protection now includes 'workers'

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The excitingly named The Employment Rights Act 1996 (Protection from Detriment in Health and Safety Cases) (Amendment) Order 2021 came into force on 31 May extending protection from detriments related to health and safety issues to workers rather than simply employees.

Frettens’ own Chris Dobbs breaks down the new order; discussing what it is, why its been put in place and what it means for employers.

COVID vaccinations to become mandatory in care sector

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It was reported earlier this week that COVID vaccinations are due to become compulsory for care home staff. Chris Dobbs, Employment Solicitor, explores what this means for the care sector, the businesses involved and those working in it.

Maya Forstater Wins Appeal at EAT: Transgender Politics in the Workplace

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Chris Dobbs provides a case update after Maya Forstater won the appeal at the EAT. Chris details the judgement and describes the implications that this case has for employers.

Severance: Should employers use a settlement agreement?

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Chris Dobbs, Solicitor in our Employment Team, discusses a recent case where two parties had different ideas about what had been agreed, as well as what could be enforced in a settlement agreement.

Transgender discrimination and philosophical belief

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Balancing freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination in the workplace. Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs looks at the case of Forstater v CDG Europe, providing advice for employers on balancing freedom of expression and freedom from discrimination in the workplace.

Employing EU Workers Post Brexit

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Changes to recruitment Post-Brexit As the question of what changes to employment law can be expected after Brexit seems to be increasingly insignificant, one major area of employment practice is impacted by the UK leaving the EU:...

Diversity training and the reasonable steps defence

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Two recent cases have highlighted the issue employers can face in relying on the statutory defence to workplace discrimination. Employers seeking to make use of this defence will often rely on various forms of policies and training to look to mitigate their liability for discrimination faced by an employee.

Employment Solicitor, Chris Dobbs looks at diversity training and the 'reasonable steps' defence.

Is long covid a disability?

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Employment & HR law specialist, Chris Dobbs looks at whether Long Covid should be treated as a disability in the workplace, and advises how employers should handle it.

COVID-19 impact on employment: Redundancy at highest level since 1995

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Chris Dobbs looks at the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the labour market after the rate of redundancy reached it's highest since these figures were first recorded in 1995.

Supreme Court - Uber drivers are workers

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Uber have lost their appeal in the Supreme Court. The Supreme court unanimously dismissed the appeal. It now means that drivers are now considered workers for employment law purposes.

No jab, no job. Can an employer require you to take the COVID vaccine?

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Specialist solicitor, Chris Dobbs looks at vaccination in the workplace. Can an employer force staff to be vaccinated? Can an employee be dismissed if they refuse the COVID vaccine? What is vaccine discrimination? Is anti-vax a philosophical belief?

Indirect Discrimination and the law

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Chris Dobbs provides the latest on Heskett v Secretary of State for Justice, and discusses Indirect Discrimination.

ACAS Uplifts, Code of Practice and Application

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The Firm's Employment Solicitor Chris Dobbs breaks down ACAS Uplifts.

Dismissals for Redundancy

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A redundancy is a dismissal as a result of a workplace closing down or the employer needing fewer employees to do work of a particular kind. Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case where unfair dismissal was claimed.

School Closures: What If Employees Can't Work?

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Chris Dobbs, solicitor in our specialist Employment & HR team, looks at the options for employers and employees when balancing working from home with childcare. Can workers be furloughed for childcare? What are the unpaid leave entitlements?

Lockdown 3.0: Updated support for businesses

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In response to the latest national lockdown, HM Treasury has announced an extension of several of the support schemes for businesses affected by the pandemic. Chris Dobbs provides an overview.

A guide to employment settlement agreements

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Specialist settlement agreement solicitor Chris Dobbs answers all of your questions on employment settlement agreements, including what is a settlement agreement? Are they tax free? Are they confidential? Who signs them?

Update on furlough, SEIS and Job Support Scheme - 5th November

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Chancellor’s Statement to the House of Commons - 5th November 2020 UPDATE: The Chancellor announced changes to the furlough scheme on Thursday 17th December - the update can be read here . ...

Data protection in disciplinary proceedings

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Do you need to tell employers about an arrest or charge? This month the High Court has looked at the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR ) and the Data Protection Act 2018 and their relevance in internal disciplinary proceedings....

What are the new support measures for workers and businesses in tier 2?

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Big changes to the Coronavirus Job Support Scheme, which was part of his winter economic plan and replaces the furlough scheme in November, were announced today. Chris Dobbs provides an overview.

Can WhatsApp be monitored by an employer?

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How and when can an employer monitor employees WhatsApp messages. Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case where an employer used whatsapp messages in a discuplinary procedure.

Homeworking: The legalities and the practicalities

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Will WFH continue after lockdown? Can you monitor remote employees? How do you write a working from home policy? Chris Dobbs, Employment Solicitor answers your questions.

Working from home policies: 9 points to consider

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Specialist Employment and HR solicitor, Chris Dobbs offers the 9 points that all HR managers and business owners should consider when writing a working from home policy.

Writing a working from home policy

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Should every business have a working from home policy? What should be included? Chris Dobbs, Employment & HR Law specialist examines an increasingly important topic.

Unfair dismissal, gross misconduct and homophobia

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Chris Dobbs looks at a recent case concerning homophobia, gross misconduct, unfair dismissals and the use of anonymous evidence.

Can an employer monitor working from home?

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Chris Dobbs, solicitor in our specialist employment & HR team, offers a comprehensive guide to remote monitoring of employees working from home.

What is continuity of employment?

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Only employees with two years’ continuous service have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. This qualifying period is measured to the day - so it is important to be clear about precisely when an employee started work.

Marital status discrimination in the workplace

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One of the least often claimed grounds of discrimination is marriage and civil partnership. Prejudice against married people is hardly widespread and there are few circumstances in which an employer might treat an employee less favourably because they were married.

Legal advice for self employed hairdressers

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Chris Dobbs, specialist employment law solicitor, examines an important ruling for self-employed hairdressers in the case of Megan Gorman.

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