Insights & News

Lucy Lewis chairing Future of Work event in October

Press Release

17 September 2018

We are delighted that Lucy Lewis will be chairing the next Future of Work Hub event at the London Transport Museum on 17 October 2018.

Parental bereavement bill receives royal assent

14 September 2018

The Parental Bereavement (Pay and Leave) Bill received royal assent yesterday to become the Parental Bereavement (Leave and Pay) Act 2018. It entitles employed parents who have lost a child to take statutory paid leave to allow them time to grieve. It is expected that the new rights will come into force in 2020.

Kirstie Allison writes for Employment Law Journal: Crucial competencies for in-house employment lawyers

Press

10 September 2018

In an article for Employment Law Journal, Kirstie Allison offers a personal perspective on working in house and some suggestions on how to perform the role effectively.

Fragmentation of activity may preclude service provision change

06 September 2018

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (“EAT”) has confirmed that when considering whether or not there has been a TUPE service provision change (“SPC”), it is critical to identify the relevant activity. The analysis must be done in the right order and any fragmentation should be considered when considering if activities carried on by the subsequent service provider are fundamentally the same as those carried on by the outgoing service provider.

TUPE and the transfer of public administrative functions

06 September 2018

In a case about whether TUPE applied to the transfer of a public health team commissioning services, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (“EAT”) has considered points of appeal in relation to two seldom litigated provisions of TUPE.

Tom Heys writes for Employee Benefits: Gender pay gap reporting for smaller employers could be problematic

Press

05 September 2018

In an article for Employee Benefits, Tom Heys discusses Gender Pay Gap reporting and how the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee's recommendations to extend reporting to companies with over 50 employees will affect smaller businesses.

Five-month cessation of activities does not prevent transfer of undertaking under EU law

04 September 2018

In a Spanish case, the European Court of Justice (“ECJ”) has ruled that a five-month break in activities between outsourcing contracts did not prevent the transfer of an undertaking under the 2001 EU Acquired Rights Directive (“ARD”).

James Davies comments for The Law Society Gazette: THE LOW DOWN

Press

04 September 2018

James Davies comments in an article for The Law Society Gazette, which discusses the demand for employment law advice due to the increase in ‘gig economy’ cases and the abolition of tribunal fees.

Karen Baxter and Rhian Hall write for The HR Director: Health and wellbeing at work

Press

21 August 2018

In an article for The HR Director, Karen Baxter and Rhian Hall discuss today's flexible working culture and how not having a clear line between work and home life can have a negative impact on employee wellbeing.

Tom Heys comments for HR Grapevine: 100% of UK employers have published their Gender Pay Gap data

Press

07 August 2018

In an article for HR Grapevine, Tom Heys discusses Gender Pay Gap reporting and states the regulations are progressive and valuable in terms of shedding light on workplace inequality.

Toni Lorenzo writes for Employment Lawyers Association: The Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc) Regulations 2018

Press

06 August 2018

In an article for Employment Lawyers Association, Toni Lorenzo discusses the Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc) Regulations 2018 which came into force in June, implementing the EU Trade Secrets Directive. This is the first time that the UK Parliament has legislated for the protection of trade secrets.

Lucy Lewis comments for Employee Benefits: How can employers respond proactively to the #MeToo movement?

Press

03 August 2018

In an article for Employee Benefits, Lucy Lewis comments on how employers should respond to the #MeToo movement and advises how to approach confidentiality with employees who come to discuss sexual harassment in the workplace.

Jonathan Carr writes for Lawyer Monthly: What do US companies need to consider during UK M&A deals?

Press

01 August 2018

In an article for Lawyer Monthly, Jonathan Carr discusses employment law due diligence in M&A transactions, and what US companies should consider when investing in the UK.

Sports Q&A – Maternity leave and equal opportunities

31 July 2018

Was it fair for Serena Williams to be seeded at Wimbledon?

Colin Leckey comments for HR Grapevine: Will Brexit have an impact on UK women's employment rights?

Press

30 July 2018

In an article for HR Grapevine, Colin Leckey comments on the Equality and Human Rights Commission stating that women in the UK risk losing equality protections, including employment rights, as a result of Brexit.

Brexit part 3 - this time it’s temporary

27 July 2018

While nothing in British politics should surprise us any more, the timing of the Government’s latest White Paper on Brexit – unveiled the day before Parliament broke up for the summer – seems to have caught out many MPs as well as the media.

Workplace sexual harassment – Women and Equalities Committee urges radical reform

26 July 2018

The House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee (“WEC”) has published a report on sexual harassment in the workplace highlighting five points on which they are calling on the Government to take action. This follows an inquiry that was launched in February.

Care workers not entitled to minimum wage for sleep-in shifts

18 July 2018

In a case of huge significance for the care sector, the Court of Appeal (“CA”) has decided that care workers carrying out “sleep-in” shifts are not entitled to the national minimum wage (“NMW”) for the whole shift, but only when they are required to be awake and working.

Where might the Government’s Brexit White Paper lead us?

17 July 2018

Although massively contentious, the Government’s White Paper proposals on the relationship between the UK and the EU post-Brexit add some flesh to the bones of what future interrelation between the two entities might look like. What are the key points for employment lawyers?

Colin Leckey writes for HR Magazine: Who’ll take the global edge in the gig economy?

Press

16 July 2018

In an article for HR Magazine, Colin Leckey discusses the potential competitive advantage countries have attracting and retaining companies in the gig economy, if they strike the right balance between flexibility and security.