The diversity of the 31m members of the British workforce means people of different nationalities, languages and cultures are working side-by-side every day. And with a significant number (8 per cent) not having English as their first language, employers often experience challenges in the workplace around the languages employees speak and need to be careful they do not discriminate (intentionally or otherwise) against their employees. Compensation for successful discrimination claims at an Employment Tribunal is ‘uncapped’, meaning the potential ramifications for a business on the…
Many would like to think that sexual harassment in the workplace was a thing of the past, something our progressive modern world has left behind – like boozy lunches, typing pools and overflowing desktop ashtrays. But if the recent sexual harassment allegations around presidential-nominee Donald Trump's past conduct serve any purpose, it's that they remind us that sexual harassment is an issue women in all types roles face in the workplace. Now, findings from a recent TUC survey bear out the stark reality of sexual…
With Merlin, the owners of Alton Towers, fined £5 million following the Smiler accident in June 2015, the fact that two directors at another business received suspended prison sentences for H&S breaches in the same week may have gone unnoticed. And so might the prosecution of the scrapyard featured in a BBC documentary series. In fact, a read of HSE press releases for September lists at least 18 cases where Companies and/or Directors were heavily punished as a result of serious injuries or fatalities resulting…
Effective absence management is a year-round consideration for employers, but it can be a particular problem during periods of miserable weather. While it's never fun to think of winter during the height of summer, sensible employers know they need to plan ahead for the darker seasons. Yes winter is coming, and it could be even colder and snowier than usual. Advanced weather models are predicting months of heavy snowfall, with conditions expected to mirror those of winter 2009/10 – the so-called “the Big Freeze”, when…
Research by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to be published September 2016 has found that employees with poor mental health earn up to 42% less than their colleagues. Put another way, for every one pound earned by a male worker without a mental health condition, a colleague who suffers phobias or panic attacks earns 58 pence. The findings have prompted claims of discrimination in the workplace against people with mental health problems, with the commission calling them a “hidden disgrace” and the Men’s Health…
A recent European Court of Justice (ECJ) case has examined the issue of religious clothing in the workplace, but those looking for a definitive ruling in this sensitive area may be disappointed. The ECJ’s decision in Samira Achbita v G4S Secure Solutions, delivered in June 2016, goes some way to clarifying the position. Ultimately, however, the ruling suggests employers should consider whether their own policies discriminate. Religious clothing – background to the case Ms. Achbita worked for Belgian-based G4S Secure Solutions who operated a policy…
A UK car manufacturer has been fined £120,000 for failing to protect workers from the risks of asbestos at one of its sites. The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who also secured a conviction against a Kent school and building contractor for the same offence in January 2016. It’s no surprise the HSE takes cases concerning asbestos very seriously: the toxic substance accounts for the deaths of approximately 5,000 workers every year, more than the total number of deaths on…
Reported hate crime has risen 42% since our vote for BREXIT, presenting employers with perhaps their first tangible HR challenge since the historic decision to leave. The vote split the UK’s population in half, with 52 per cent of voters backing BREXIT and 48 per cent voting to remain. And in a frightening reaction to the vote, anti-Polish cards have been handed out in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, and a sharp rise in the number of people being told to ‘go back home’ – with chants such…
With a disruptive summer of sport ahead, managing employee absence as sports fans seek ways to watch their teams could be a real headache for business. Today is a big day for sport. We've got Andy Murray in the semi finals at Wimbledon (bravo). There's Lewis Hamilton revving up in qualifying for the British Grand Prix (zoom). And Yellow Jersey favourite Chris Froome is riding out with the other Brits in Team Sky on the seventh stage of the Tour de France (clip). Oh, and…
A 'reckless' restaurant owner has been jailed for six years for the manslaughter of a customer who suffered a fatal anaphylactic shock following an allergic reaction to a takeaway curry. The 52 year old businessman was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence when a customer with a severe peanut allergy died after eating a takeaway ordered from the restaurant – despite the diner insisting his meal must be nut-free. And in a judgement that should serve as a wake up call for other food…
