Employers are faced with an unenviable task when tackling ‘banter’ in the workplace. There is always a fine line between banter and potential bullying and harassment. Any notion of   banning ‘banter’ altogether is unlikely to be sustainable, or well received, in practice.  In-jokes and ‘friendly banter’ are, to an extent, human nature and an important… [Read More]

The Supreme Court was recently asked to consider whether s146 Trade Union & Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA) protected striking workers from ‘detriment short of dismissal.” Why was the Supreme Court involved? An employee was suspended on basic pay (resulting in a loss of overtime pay) and given a written warning after she was… [Read More]

Retailer Marks and Spencer has made a significant investment in its employees by improving its maternity, paternity and adoption benefits, far exceeding the legal requirements. Starting in April 2024, the chain has introduced six weeks of paternity leave at full pay and has doubled its maternity and adoption leave to 26 weeks at full pay. What are… [Read More]

A former British Army musician has been successful in a claim for race discrimination. In the case, a black Rastafarian French Horn player in the Grenadier Guards was denied entry to his barracks while wearing civilian clothing by a guard who did not initially believe he was a soldier. He returned in uniform to discuss… [Read More]

From April 2024, all employees have the right to request one week of unpaid carer’s leave per year. The right is available to employees who have a dependant with a long-term care need and who want to be absent from work to provide or arrange care for that dependant. We have broken-down some of the… [Read More]