The Growth and Infrastructure Bill 2012-2013  (the Bill) by Clause 27, proposes to introduce the concept of ‘employee shareholders’. My colleague Tom Moyes first commented on this concept on 10 October 2012 . Essentially, an employee shareholder would be given shares in the employer company in exchange for waiving certain employment rights such as: unfair […]

For those of you who do not already know, this week is National Apprenticeship Week. This year is the sixth annual event and each year it increases in popularity . Apprenticeships: You’re Fired! Subject to compliance with specified conditions, new legislation now allows employers to engage in contracts of service with apprentices, rather than contracts […]

This week, Government Ministers have announced details of their proposals for a new, more flexible approach to parental leave in order to reflect working arrangements in modern day families. The proposals aim to introduce the ability for both parents to take parental leave together, or in turns, and have a legal right to request flexible […]

Last week, the Business Secretary Vince Cable announced his proposals to reform UK employment law. Employment law reform has been a hot topic for some months, especially since the controversial Beecroft Report was published earlier this year. The Government continues to look for ways of encouraging growth by giving employers the power to deal with […]

A recent ruling in the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) found that a “self-employed” lap dancer was in actual fact an employee and was entitled to claim unfair dismissal. Miss Quashie was a lap dancer who worked at Stringfellows and (as is custom within this industry) was self-employed.  Stringfellows was not obliged to provide her with […]

Many employees are unaware that they have a statutory right to take reasonable time off work without pay in cases of emergency. Sections 57A and 57B of the Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) permit employees to take reasonable unpaid leave to look after dependants in certain prescribed circumstances, such as the employee’s dependant is ill, […]

Whilst most employers will be aware that the default retirement age of 65 is to be abolished in April 2011 and that they will no longer be able to compulsorily retire employees, there is a general lack of understanding as to what an employer’s obligations are in respect of older employees in the absence of […]