Employment

Number of individuals on furlough drops below two million for first time since CJRS introduced

HMRC reports fourth consecutive monthly decrease after peaks of 8.9 million in May 2020 and 5.1 million in January 2021

Labour Party announces plan to give workers automatic right to flexible working

New policy includes duty on employers to accommodate flexible working, and right to flexibility around school runs and other family and caring responsibilities

Labour Party announces policy intention to create a single status of ‘worker’

Under new policy, all workers bar the genuinely self-employed would have full rights and protections from day one of employment

Employment case law round up

Supreme Court rules that change in wording of equality legislation has not altered burden of proof on claimant in first stage of employment discrimination case

Royal Mail Group Ltd (Respondent) v Efobi (Appellant) [2021] UKSC 33

Government commits to introducing duty requiring employers to prevent sexual harassment at work

Response to 2019 consultation also confirms intention to introduce protections from third-party harassment, and to 'look closely' at extending deadline for employment tribunal claims under Equality Act 2010 from three to six months

Government sets out employment tribunal changes in new Judicial Review and Courts Bill

Changes being made to address fact that ETs are the only area of tribunal business where control over procedure rests with a government minister in another department

Unions call for ‘urgent reset’ in government’s approach to LGBT employment rights

Open letter to Equalities Minister seeks new duties on employers to protect workers from harassment by customers and clients, and to prevent sexual harassment at work

Employment case law round up

Cross-party scrutiny committee summons Covid Vaccine Minister to address concerns about proposed vaccination of care home staff as a condition of employment

Lords committee also says the lack of clarity and practical detail in the draft regulations make effective scrutiny of the instrument impossible

Employment case law round up

Less than a third of Kickstart vacancies have been filled more than 9 months after scheme’s £2 billion launch

However, Work and Pensions Secretary says that 'we are seeing more starts every day and are working with employers to fill roles'

Court of Session upholds ET decision that dismissal of teacher suspected of downloading indecent images of children was within the range of reasonable responses open to employer

Appeal by L against K [2021] ScotCS CSIH 35

Government issues new Treasury Direction in relation to the fifth payment under the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

Direction confirms that claims for SEISS 5 must be made on or before 30 September 2021

Employment case law round up

Number of individuals on furlough reduced by more than a million in month to 31 May 2021

New HMRC statistics also show that 2.9 million individuals have received a grant from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme since its introduction

Bill to give workers the right to flexible working from first day of employment receives first reading in House of Commons

New Bill will also require employers to offer flexible working arrangements in employment contracts and advertise flexibility options when recruiting