watersrule solicitors blog

HMRC and the Department of Business and Innovation and Skills (BIS) are to launch a crackdown on companies not paying the minimum wage.

According to the latest figures on employment, Scotland is the only nation bucking the unemployment figures seen across the rest of the UK.

Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, have been accused of creating a hostile culture for workers following a New York Times report.

Female employment in Scotland has hit a record high according to statistics from the Scottish government with employment across the country also rising.

Last minute talks are underway in a bid to stop CalMac workers going on strike on Friday. Caledonian MacBrayne ferry staff are to go on strike on Friday but will stop working any overtime as of Wednesday.

Despite having one of the best female employment records in Europe, gender inequality is still proving to be a major issue in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The number of reforms has almost doubled in the last year despite reforms to try and cap the number of tribunals. Despite an initial decrease in the number of cases, the numbers have since rebounded.

According to an investigation by the BBC only ten of Scotland’s 50 biggest employers are actually paying workers the living wage.

A vicar has lost his appeal to bring an unfair dismissal appeal against the Church of England after a court ruled that he was employed by God.

A new law that grants Sikhs permission to wear their turban in all workplaces has come into force in the UK.

An open letter signed by more than 400 barristers and 40 QCs has condemned the government for increasing the fees of employment tribunals.

The University of Aberdeen is to offer at least 150 members of staff offers of early retirement in a bid to reduce costs by £10.5 million in the next few months.

According to a report from the Scottish Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) numerous Scots are facing unfair and difficult employment conditions.

Sports Direct is facing a multi million pound claim from 300 employees after they were excluded from a bonus scheme offered by the company due to their zero-hour contract status.

According to a report from the Bank of Scotland, the Scottish economy is set to have a successful 2015, following a productive 2015, albeit at a slower rate. The report also had positive news for those seeking and in employment, with employment rising at one of the fastest rates in 17 years.

Two thirds of new fully employed workers are earning below the living wage according to research conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

The Scottish job economy has been bolstered by an increase in employment and a rise in salaries in the last 5 months according to the Bank of Scotland Report on jobs.

Research from The Herald Scotland has shown that companies are bracing themselves for a landslide of claims regarding holiday pay following a ruling by the Employment Appeal Tribunal.

An oil employer of 25 years has been awarded over £30,000 after it was deemed he was dismissed unfairly by Scotoil Services.

“No reasonable grounds”

David Williamson, 25, was fired for apparent harassment of staff. However an employment tribunal found that the Aberdeen based firm had “no reasonable grounds” for his dismissal. The judge also found that Scotoil had failed to thoroughly investigate complaints made by two employees that a Polish contract worker was unable to follow safety instructions when it came to cleaning high pressured equipment. 

Judge McFatridge said the firm had “failed to distinguish” between “legitimate comment” and alleged “racially motivated bullying and harassment” branding investigation and subsequent  dismissal as unfocused and unfair.

Employment Law Advice and Assistance in Scotland 

For specialist legal advice in relation to employment law contact Watersrule Solicitors.

The recent European Court of Justice decision in May in the case of Lock v British Gas has established that staff who receive part of their earnings in commission should have this taken into account when holiday pay is calculated, not merely basic pay.

From 1^st October 2014 a new provision in the Equality Act 2010 (Section 139A) gives Employment Tribunals additional powers to compel employers to conduct equal pay audits where they have been held to have breached equal pay laws or to have discriminated because of sex in non-contractual pay, unless one of the exceptions in the Equality Act 2010 (Equal Pay Audits) Regulations 2014 apply, such as discretionary bonuses.

When they have a greivence in the workplace, over one in ten employees prefer to negotiate a compromise agreement with their employer rather than go to an employment tribunal.

A preliminary EU court ruling has determined that severe obesity in the future may be classified as a disability under EU law.

A ruling of the European Court of Justice could mean back-dated payouts for thousands of workers across Scotland. The judgment allows employees throughout the UK to claim holiday pay for regular overtime, commission and shift allowances.