Insights & News

Employment status review announced in response to Taylor report

In the autumn Budget, the Government has indicated for the first time how it intends to respond to the recommendations made by Matthew Taylor in his review of modern working practices.

Extending ‘off-payroll’ worker reforms to the private sector

The Chancellor announced in the autumn Budget that there will be a consultation in 2018 to tackle non-compliance with IR35 rules in the private sector.

Applying game theory to HR

The influence of game theory, developed in the 1950s by Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr, has been huge. It provides a formal modelling approach for decision-makers to explore a variety of interactions among agents, and their potential outcomes.

Full Employment Tribunal fees refunds scheme now open

After a brief pilot scheme, the full scheme for refunding Employment Tribunal (“ET”) fees is now open for use by both claimants and respondents.

Lewis Silkin acted for Deliveroo in its successful defence of an application for trade union recognition by the IWGB union

Press Release

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) wanted Deliveroo to recognise it for collective bargaining purposes in respect of riders in Camden and Kentish Town. The application before the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) was heard over four days in May and June 2017. The CAC held that Deliveroo riders were not “workers” for the purposes of employment law, but self-employed independent contractors, and therefore the application failed.

Our latest Brexit update on immigration

The UK Government published a Brexit update with the notion that it would relieve worried EEA nationals in the UK and let everyone see how lovely the UK Government intend to be over the end of free movement. This somewhat backfired when the European Parliament then said the proposal was “inadequate”.

Deliveroo defends union recognition application by demonstrating its riders are genuinely self-employed

The Central Arbitration Committee (“CAC”) has rejected an application from the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (“IWGB”) for collective bargaining rights in respect of Deliveroo riders, in a case in which Lewis Silkin acted for Deliveroo.

Michael Burd comments for Governance & Compliance: Weinstein and the end of wilful ignorance

Press

Michael Burd, has commented in an article for Governance & Compliance which discusses the need for Boards within companies to take immediate action to deal with cases of harassment.

Lewis Silkin submits evidence to The Home Affairs Committee

Press Release

The Home Affairs Committee has published Lewis Silkin’s submission to its inquiry on the capacity of the Home Office to deliver Brexit.

Lewis Silkin hosted Global Labour Law Conference in Hong Kong with Ius Laboris

Press Release

The Shifting World Dynamics and the Evolving Workplace: Global labour law conference was held in Hong Kong last month in conjunction with Ius Laboris, the leading international law alliance combining the world’s leading employment, labour and pensions firms.

Feedback - positivity vs negativity

Feedback is one of the most powerful tools for optimising workplace performance. Getting it right can help a business to constantly improve. Mistakes become learning opportunities; failures and bad behaviours are not repeated. Conversely, getting feedback wrong can destroy motivation, causing productivity to plummet.

Penny Newman comments for The Times Student Law: Adding context to recruiting

Penny Newman has commented for Times Times' Student Law magazine which discusses the Contextual Recruitment System (CRS) and how it can assist with recruitment.