Blog — 25 September 2024

The right for workers to disconnect – government plans to promote a positive work-life balance

The Labour government have reiterated their commitment to introducing the right for workers to ‘disconnect’, as part of their plans to promote a positive work-life balance and to ensure homes…

Blog — 21 August 2024

Unfair dismissal: a day one right – probationary periods

The Labour government’s plan to make unfair dismissal a day one right is a major employment law reform which they intend to introduce through the enactment of the Employment Rights…

Blog — 02 November 2023

Worker Protection Act to come into force in October 2024 – what will this mean for employers?

The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 has received Royal Assent, and will come into force in October 2024. This is an important piece of legislation when…

Blog — 01 November 2023

Changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act – what convictions have to be declared to an employer?

Reforms to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 came into force on 28 October 2023. These changes significantly reduce the time people with criminal convictions are legally required to declare…

Blog — 13 September 2023

NHS report on sexual harassment in the workplace – what has been revealed?

Women in surgical positions in the NHS say that they fear reporting incidents will damage their careers,  and that they lack confidence the NHS will take action, as reported by…

Blog — 09 August 2023

Redundancy protection extended to cover pregnancy and return from family leave

The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023 came into force on 24 July 2023. The new legislation gives those who are pregnant or individuals returning from parental…

Blog — 19 July 2023

Relationships in the workplace

There is a tendency for an employer to bury its head somewhat when it comes to its involvement in relationships between employees in the workplace. Notably, we have recently seen…

Blog — 23 June 2023

Carer’s leave – What employers need to know

The Carer’s Leave Act will give employees a statutory right to a week’s unpaid leave in order to care for a dependant. We provide a summary of what to expect…

Blog — 13 April 2023

Anti-strike laws: an update

Strike action has historically been a key tool of negotiation used by unions to push for improved employment terms for public sector workers. However, the recent Strikes (Minimum Service Levels)…

Blog — 04 April 2023

Employers to be liable for harassment of employees by third parties on their premises

The government is supporting the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill, which had its second reading in the House of Lords on 24 March 2023. The proposed legislation…

Blog — 04 April 2023

Employment law: annual increases in compensation

We are reaching that time of the year when there is an annual Tribunal limit increase. Employers should be aware that as of 6 April 2023, if a dismissal takes…

Blog — 21 March 2023

The BBC and Gary Lineker – Navigating political expression online for employees and employers

If you live in the UK, you will no doubt be familiar with the controversy surrounding the BBC’s recent decision to take presenter Gary Lineker off Match of the Day…

Blog — 15 March 2023

Confidentiality – is there any such thing?

In recent weeks, the media has reported on journalist Isabel Oakeshott leaking to the Daily Telegraph, nearly 100,000 messages between Matt Hancock and other government officials. Matt Hancock allegedly said…

Blog — 07 February 2023

Myth-busters: dealing with women who are pregnant and/or on maternity leave during a redundancy process

Employers are only too aware of the potential difficulties they face, such as discrimination claims, when the company has to go through a redundancy process and they have staff who…

Blog — 31 January 2023

2023: a year of change in the employment arena

We know that at some point this year, there will be changes to the statutory request for flexible working. As an employer, it is important that you keep up to…

Blog — 09 December 2022

Updates to the Sponsor Guidance for worker and temporary worker migrants

In mid-November 2022, the Home Office updated their Sponsor Guidance for workers and temporary worker migrants – whilst many of the changes appear minor, they are important for sponsoring employers to take…

Blog — 29 November 2022

Employment Law Update: Autumn edition 2022

Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Employment Law Update. As the year draws to a close and we near Christmas, it is a good time to look back on…

Blog — 28 November 2022

The relationship between ss15 and 20 Equality Act 2010 claims and unfair dismissal claims

C Knightley v Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust [2022] EAT 63; 9 November 2021 Employment Tribunal The claimant (CK) was employed by the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS…

Blog — 12 August 2022

Right to Work Checks – what you need to know

Employers must undertake an online Right to Work Check using the above link whilst conducting the check in-person Right to Work Checks – what you need to know Right to…

Blog — 27 July 2022

Part-year workers entitled to the same holiday pay as colleagues working all year 

Part-year workers entitled to the same holiday pay as colleagues working all year  The long-awaited judgment in The Harpur Trust v Brazel [2022] UKSC 21 will have serious financial repercussions for employers…

Blog — 18 July 2022

Employment Law Update: Summer edition 2022

Welcome to the Summer edition of the Employment Law Update. It has been a difficult few months due to the cost of living crisis and the consequences of that on…

Blog — 11 July 2022

Victimisation and the correct test for detriment

Warburton v Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Police [2022] EAT 42; March 14, 2022 Implications for practitioners The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) held that the correct question when considering whether a…

Blog — 15 June 2022

Google settles gender discrimination class-action for $118 million

It has been reported this week that Google is to pay $118 million to approximately 15,500 employees in a class-action gender discrimination lawsuit. Whilst this case has not been decided in…

Blog — 14 June 2022

The four-day workweek – is it the future?

This month sees the launch of a large pilot scheme trialing whether companies can achieve 100% productivity (or more), for a 20% reduction of input from employees’ time, with no…

Blog — 30 May 2022

The current employment landscape

The current employment landscape has been changing for some time, and not just because of our formal departure from the European Union on 31 January 2020. In recent years, we…

Blog — 27 May 2022

Comment: ensuring redundancies are legally compliant

Fintech company Klarna has become the latest firm to announce a drastic reduction of its workforce. Krishna Santra, partner in our Employment team, comments:  In recent news, Klarna will be making…

Blog — 18 May 2022

Comment: higher number of job vacancies than unemployed people in UK

The BBC has reported that there are now more job vacancies than unemployed people in the UK since records began. Tina Din, associate in our Employment team, comments:  According to…

Blog — 13 May 2022

Comment: Employment Tribunal rules that calling a man bald is sex-based harassment

The Employment Tribunal has ruled that it is now classed as sex-based harassment to call a man bald in the workplace. Tatiana Dall, trainee solicitor in our Employment law team, comments:…

Blog — 03 March 2022

Employment Law Update: Spring edition 2022

Welcome to the Spring edition of the Employment Law Update. I am excited to have joined the Bindmans Employment team and to be introducing our Employment Law Update for Spring 2022. …

Blog — 17 January 2022

Mental wellbeing in the workplace: practical tips for employers

In every job, there is an element of stress. The degree of stress that an employee can experience depends on a number of factors such as, but not limited to,…

Blog — 15 December 2021

Commons briefing on policing powers

In October 2021, the Commons Library, which is an impartial research and information service for MPs and their staff, published a briefing paper introducing a series on police powers. Given…

Blog — 04 November 2021

Interim relief not available for discrimination-dismissal cases

Steer v Stormsure [2021] EWCA Civ 887; June 11, 2021 Implications for practitioners The Court of Appeal held that the absence of interim relief for discrimination claims arising from dismissal did…

Blog — 01 November 2021

Autumn Budget 2021: UK economy forecast to return to pre-Covid levels

Earlier this week, Rishi Sunak announced the 2021 Autumn Budget. Tina Din, Associate in our Employment Law and Professional Discipline team comments on the impacts on the UK economy. With…

Blog — 26 October 2021

Jude Lanchin comments on collapse of case against client Claire Stephen

Millard Scott, the father of rapper Wretch 32, was tasered in his own home by police last year, despite not being the individual that the police were looking for, nor…

Blog — 18 October 2021

New sentencing guidelines for slavery, forced labour, and human trafficking offences

New sentencing guidelines came into force this month for criminal offences under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA). Although the MSA sets a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the…

Blog — 12 October 2021

Employment Law Update: Autumn edition 2021

Welcome to the Autumn edition of the Employment Law Update. In this edition we look closely at the importance of flexible working for employees, how to carry out redundancies correctly, Data…

Blog — 21 September 2021

Assisted dying - is a change in the law likely?

At its annual conference the British Medical Association (BMA) voted to change its stance on assisted dying and has now adopted a neutral stance, whereas previously, it was opposed to…

Blog — 15 September 2021

Sexual misconduct: zero tolerance at the Bar

The Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS) has just announced its second consultation for Sanctions Guidance over Misconduct. Some Inns of Court have expressed concern regarding the first consultation and…

Blog — 09 September 2021

Fresher’s Week part one: university sexual misconduct investigations - when things go wrong

It’s an exciting time. Your child is leaving home and starting a new life with freedoms they had only wished for before and a whole raft of exciting experiences waiting for…

Blog — 24 August 2021

Knife Crime Prevention Orders

The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has announced the latest in the government’s crime agenda – Knife Crime Prevention Orders (KCPOs). The new pilot with the Metropolitan Police Service started on…

Blog — 22 July 2021

Challenging Surveillance as a Service: The NSO Pegasus spyware investigation

Spyware sold by a prominent Israeli surveillance company, called NSO Group, has been implicated in the targeting of world leaders, human rights activists and journalists. We are actively investigating this…

Blog — 23 June 2021

Employment Law Update: Summer edition 2021

Welcome to the summer edition of the Employment Law Update. As employers begin to navigate their way through the next phase of the pandemic, we take a closer look at the…

Blog — 18 January 2021

General Offences Series: Assisted Dying - A Discussion of the Law

In the Netherlands, assisted dying and voluntary euthanasia have both been legal since 2002. Euthanasia is legal in Belgium and assisted dying in Switzerland. In America, the Death with Dignity…

Blog — 21 December 2020

General Offences Series: Criminal Damage

Our Criminal Defence Team has extensive experience in representing clients who have been accused of Criminal Damage. The following article offers a brief guide to Criminal Damage, which, we hope,…

Blog — 11 December 2020

Defending Digga D: Criminal Behaviour Orders, Rehabilitation and Cultural Censorship

BBC Three’s “Defending Digga D” provides viewers insight into the realities of life as an offender newly released from prison and on licence in the community.

Blog — 04 December 2020

Criminal Procedure Rules Amendments 2020

The amended Criminal Procedure Rules (CrPR) came into force on 5 October 2020. Rather than carrying out more piecemeal revisions, as has occurred in the past, the CrPR Committee carried…

Blog — 01 December 2020

World AIDS Day – HIV and AIDS in the workplace

01 December is observed globally as World AIDS Day. In a world that seems to be becoming increasingly unequal, World AIDS Day is an incredibly important day to commemorate those…

Blog — 30 November 2020

The Perils of Private prosecutions: The Post Office Case Study

Between March-June 2020, 47 Sub Post Office workers convicted of fraud, theft and false accounting as a result of a faulty IT system (Horizon) had their cases referred to the…

Blog — 20 November 2020

Goodbye to the European Arrest Warrant and the protection it provides

On 17 November 2020 an appeal decided by the High Court illustrates one of the protections that will be lost when the UK Brexits from the EU on 1st January…

Blog — 12 November 2020

Rishi Sunak extends the Furlough Scheme until Spring 2021 – Key Points

In the wake of the second national lockdown in England, on 5th November 2020 Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a further extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the ‘furlough scheme’)…

Blog — 21 October 2020

Sobriety tags introduced in Wales

Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring Orders, otherwise known as ‘Sobriety Tags’ are being rolled out in Wales today.  Sobriety tags are already available in London, Humberside, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire, where…

Blog — 16 October 2020

Pre trial detention disproportionately impacts those from ethnic minorities, says a government report

At the end of September, in order to try and “manage” the backlog in criminal trials, temporary legislation came into force that extends the time that people can be held…

Blog — 08 October 2020

Evictions - the new low of the gig economy

In a previous post, we highlighted how many people are, often for the first time, experiencing the benefits of flexible working due to the pandemic. There has also been wider…

Blog — 07 October 2020

Follow the money: Unexplained Wealth Orders explained

The National Crime Agency recently revealed that their investigation into Mansoor Mahmood Hussain and successful application for an unexplained wealth order (UWO) against properties in his vast property empire, has…

Blog — 07 September 2020

GMB Union Investigation Findings

On 31 August 2020, Karon Monaghan QC published the findings of her investigation into sexual harassment and the management of sexual harassment complaints within the GMB Union. The investigation was…

Blog — 19 June 2020

Worker Wellbeing during Covid-19

Four years ago the Marmalade Trust started the Loneliness Awareness Week, a week during which the issues of isolation and loneliness are recognised and discussed. This year Loneliness Awareness Week…

Blog — 01 June 2020

Suspect’s right to privacy reinforced

In March 2015 we attended the Home Affairs Select Committee with our client Paul Gambaccini to make representations on pre charge bail and suspect anonymity pre charge- ie, when an…

Blog — 19 May 2020

Alcohol abstinence and monitoring orders

New legislation brought into force today has given courts new powers to make Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring (‘AAM’) Orders when sentencing. The new legislation brings into effect section 212A of…

Blog — 11 May 2020

Returning to work during Covid-19 – Employees and Workers with Health and Safety Concerns

Yesterday (10 May 2020), Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled a strategy to ease the lockdown restrictions.

Blog — 06 April 2020

Policing under lockdown: a “common sense” approach?

Emergency legislation passed by Parliament has given the police wide-ranging new powers to help tackle the Coronavirus pandemic. These powers are geared towards enforcing the government’s social distancing measures which…

Blog — 03 April 2020

Regulating the health & care sector in times of crises – Recalling Professionals Back

In an effort to hire more professionals to manage the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK government has asked a number of regulators in the health and care sector to recall professionals…

Blog — 01 April 2020

Covid-19 lockdown: inconsistent policing is not a new phenomenon, just ask people from BAME backgrounds

Within days of the enactment of emergency Covid-19 legislation that extended police powers, Buxton Lagoon was dyed black by Derbyshire Police to encourage social distancing.

Blog — 01 April 2020

Regulating the healthcare sector in times of crisis - Working in environments of heightened demand

As stated by the NHS and the BMA, COVID-19 represents the greatest challenge the NHS has faced since its creation. During this crisis, it is inevitable that professionals in this…

Blog — 27 March 2020

Coronavirus Lockdown – what are the new restrictions, requirements, enforcement powers and offences?

The coronavirus epidemic has changed the legal landscape of the country beyond recognition in a matter of days. This blog post considers the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020,…

Blog — 06 March 2020

Analysis by the TUC reveals that the Gender Pay Gap Remains a Concern

According to analysis recently published by the TUC, the average woman effectively works for free for two months of the year in comparison to the average man as a result…

Blog — 24 January 2020

Katie Wheatley, Head of our Criminal Defence and Extradition Team, comments on the law of assisted dying following the debate in Parliament

Last year 18 Police and Crime Commissioners wrote to the Secretary of State for Justice, calling for an inquiry into the impact of the current law on assisted dying and…

Blog — 24 January 2020

Employment Law Changes being introduced on 6th April 2020

Changes to provision of employment particulars Changes to Agency Workers Rights Changes to holiday pay calculations Introduction of Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Changes to ICE (Information and Consultation of…

Blog — 25 November 2019

The new SRA rules – making life easier for firms?

As of 25 November 2019 the SRA Code of Conduct 2011 will be replaced by the new SRA Standards and Regulations 2019 (‘the Regulations’). The Regulations overhaul the framework of…

Blog — 20 September 2019

HIV Discrimination and Privacy in the Workplace

On 14 September renowned rugby player Gareth Thomas made public his HIV diagnosis.

Blog — 17 May 2019

Mental Health Awareness Week - a look at discrimination arising from disability

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, a time to acknowledge and discuss the challenges, stigmas and unlawful treatment faced by people with mental health conditions.

Blog — 15 April 2019

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has lowered its standard of proof: the reasons why and the concerns of solicitors

The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) has confirmed in a statement published 01 April 2019 that they are changing the standard of proof in disciplinary proceedings before the Tribunal.

Blog — 08 April 2019

Tackling Racial Bias in Regulatory Proceedings

The Court of Appeal has held in the case of Iwuchukwu v City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust that a surgeon had been discriminated against on grounds of race by…

Blog — 27 February 2019

Professionals and Organisations: The duty of Candour and meeting your regulatory and legal obligations

For the first time ever, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has issued a fine for a breach of Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities)…

Blog — 12 November 2018

How to handle the departure of senior employees

It can be very difficult to manage senior staff deciding to jump ship to another company.

Blog — 31 October 2018

The effect of non-disclosure of evidence relating to communications and the appointment of special counsel (R v Knaggs and others) (Originally published on Lexis PSL)

What are the practical implications of this case? (i.e. how the case may influence how practitioners advise their clients) This was a complicated case which involved a number of legal…

Blog — 22 September 2016

Online Litigation: The Lord Chancellor Liz Truss transforms Justice –perspectives from a criminal lawyer

Liz Truss, in her first speech to the House of Commons as Lord Chancellor, outlined numerous proposals to transform the UK justice system. This was then elaborated in the joint…

Blog — 21 September 2016

The Forum Bar and Lauri Love - a limited protection

On Friday 16 September District Judge Nina Tempia refused to discharge the extradition warrant against Lauri Love, the computer hacker who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome and depression.

Blog — 04 August 2016

Public Image: Private Disgrace - how to limit damage at the very outset of a crisis

The International Olympic Committee is yet again facing public outcry and intense criticism over its response to the doping crisis and Russian athletes. In a statement the IOC said it…

Blog — 03 May 2016

Which Way Out?

Last year Southwark Crown Court approved the terms of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) in respect of Standard Bank Plc which resulted in the suspension of criminal proceedings brought by…

Blog — 01 February 2016

Have you got a history? Background check on employees made mandatory

With responsibility falling firmly on employers to check for convictions and approve employees undertaking significant roles in banks, could there be an upturn in employees failing to achieve or maintain…

Blog — 01 October 2015

The rise of Corporate Crime Investigations: The Fallout for Employees

The Criminal Law team feature in the Canary Wharf Magazine, October 2015 edition. The article discusses the role of employees in corporate criminal investigations.

Blog — 01 September 2015

Katie Wheatley reviews ‘Insider Dealing and Criminal Law: Dangerous Liaisons’ by Iwona Seredynska for the Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation

Katie Wheatley, Partner and Joint Head of the Criminal Law Team at Bindmans LLP recently reviewed ”Insider Dealing and Criminal Law: Dangerous Liaisons” for the Journal of International Banking Law…