Discrimination arising from disability: the test for proportionality when assessing justification (Department for Work and Pensions v Boyers)

When deciding whether treatment was justified in a claim of discrimination arising from disability, in assessing proportionality, (i) the procedure by which an employer reaches a decision to dismiss is not irrelevant to the balancing exercise required, (ii) the assessment is not limited by the terms of the contract of employment such as place of… >>

No plans to introduce menopause as a protected characteristic or implement dual discrimination in the Equality Act

The Minister for Work and Pensions (Lords) and Minister for Women, Baroness Stedman-Scott, has confirmed in a letter dated 25 May 2022 to the Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC), Caroline Nokes MP, that the government has no current plans to introduce menopause as a further protected characteristic in the Equality Act 2010…. >>

Government will not introduce mandatory ethnic pay reporting

The government has announced that it will not introduce mandatory ethnic pay reporting due to ‘significant statistical and data issues’. The government is expected to provide guidance for employers choosing to report ethnicity pay gaps, particularly for employers in regions with low numbers of people from ethnic minorities. Action 16 of the government’s Inclusive Britain… >>

Email with addition of EC Certificate did not amount to re-presentation of employment tribunal claim (Pryce v Baxterstorey)

Under section 18(8) of the Employment Tribunal Act 1996 (ETA 1996) a person who is required to comply with the early conciliation (EC) requirement may not present an employment tribunal claim without first obtaining an EC certificate. Where a claim is presented without the EC certificate first being obtained, that jurisdictional problem cannot be overcome… >>

Employment tribunal reform project: HMCTS issues FAQ document

The HMCTS Reform Employment Tribunal Project has issued the first version of their Frequently Asked Questions document, providing guidance on the progression of the project to stakeholders. The project aims ultimately to deliver a digital case file, interactive web-based case progression system and automation of some processes currently carried out by staff. As part of… >>

Presidential Guidance on employment tribunals taking oral evidence from persons located abroad

The Presidents of the Employment Tribunals in England and Wales, Barry Clarke, and in Scotland, Shona Simon, have issued guidance for employment tribunals on how they should take evidence by video or telephone from persons located abroad. They have confirmed that employment tribunals should follow the approach in the case of Agbabiaka, i.e. that enquiries… >>