140 likes | 170 Views
KEY EMPLOYMENT & DISCRIMINATION CASES 2010. Alison Collins 9 th February 2011. (1) Veitch –v- Red Sky Group Ltd. Jason Veitch – successful in claim of unfair dismissal claim Appeal from Industrial Tribunal decision Disability Discrimination – reasonable adjustments and victimisation
E N D
KEY EMPLOYMENT & DISCRIMINATION CASES 2010 Alison Collins 9th February 2011
(1) Veitch –v- Red Sky Group Ltd • Jason Veitch – successful in claim of unfair dismissal claim • Appeal from Industrial Tribunal decision • Disability Discrimination – reasonable adjustments and victimisation • Observations of Girvan LJ on the length of the proceedings. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Veitch –v- Red Sky Group Ltd • Case – remitted for re-determination by a fresh Tribunal. • Respondent – expressed concern at the length of proceedings – 16 days at Tribunal. • LJ Girvan – overriding objections at Tribunal Reg 3 (Industrial Tribunals (Constitutional Rules of Procedure) Regulations (NI) 2005. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Veitch –v- Red Sky Group Ltd • Recommended: “Unnecessary protracted oral evidence could usefully avoided by requiring a party to ensure that the evidence in chief of witnesses should be provided in the first instance in a written statement with the witness then being available for cross examination only”. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Veitch –v- Red Sky Group Ltd • Tribunals – Case Management Discussions • Day 1 – Parties do not attend Tribunal. • Day 1 – Panel members read witness statements • Day 2 – Cross examination of witnesses commences. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
(2) Andrew Locke -v- Candy & Candy Ltd • Claimant – dismissed ten days before he acquired one year’s service. • Paid 6 months in lieu of notice as per contract. • Entitlement to bonus: £160,000 if remained employed for 12 months. • Raised a claim for non-payment of bonus. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Andrew Locke -v- Candy & Candy Ltd • Sum claimed beyond financial limit of Tribunal. • Claimant pursued his claim in the High Court • Unsuccessful. • Appealed to Court of Appeal. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Andrew Locke -v- Candy & Candy Ltd • Court of Appeal held contract had to be held “holistically” • Bonus clause and its restrictions had to be applied when calculating the payment. • COA held – not entitled to payment of bonus of £160,000. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
(3) Kraft Foods UK Ltd v Hastie [2010] EqLR 18 EAT • Contractual voluntary redundancy scheme • Cap on awards that could be made. • Prevented employees recovering more than they would have earned if they had remained in employment until retirement age • Claimant – reduced his amount by £14,000 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Kraft Foods UK Ltd v Hastie • Tribunal held cap disproportionately applied to those approaching retiring age. • Unjustifiable and unlawful discrimination contrary to the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 • Case appealed to EAT 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Kraft Foods UK Ltd v Hastie • EAT: Disagreed with the Tribunal’s decision. • Held: Proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim to impose a cap preventing the "windfall" of an employee recovering more than he could have recovered had he stayed in employment until retirement. • Compensate employees for loss of the expectation of remaining in employment. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Homer v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2010] • Case on indirect discrimination. • Requirement introduced: To be in the top grade for legal adviser an employee had to obtain a law degree. • Claimant: 30 years’ service. • Police Officer – Legal Adviser. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Homer v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2010] • Claimant advised that his employer would pay for him to do a law degree. • Claimant met all other criteria for the role. • Court of Appeal held: requirement did not cause any particular disadvantage for employees between 60 and 65 without law degrees even though close to retirement. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011
Homer v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police [2010] • Whatever the employee’s age was when the provision, criterion or practice was introduced, he would have failed to achieve the top grade until he obtained the degree. 9th February 2011 - Employment & Discrimination Cases 2011