UK passes new sexual harassment law

A new law on the prevention of sexual harassment has been passed in the UK. What do employers need to know, and what should they be doing now? The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act) Act makes a significant change to the law on an employer’s obligations to protect employees from sexual harassment. Although it has been watered down compared to the original proposals, the…

How can employers make their workplaces appeal to older workers?

With older workers leaving the workforce in worrying numbers, this article considers what an ‘over 50s friendly’ workplace might look like, in the UK and beyond. Increased life expectancy and declining fertility rates mean that the world’s population is ageing. This demographic challenge looks set to continue, and there are now more people aged 65 and older than there are aged under five. To succeed,…

The climate emergency: the missing factor in remote working requests?

Tackling the climate emergency should be high on everyone’s agenda. But should employers give greater weight to the environment when deciding whether to say yes or no to an employee’s request to do their job remotely? One of the legacies of the COViD-19 pandemic is that remote working has become normal. Workers in the so-called knowledge economy are now commonly working remotely on a hybrid…

UK Court of Appeal rejects challenge to Deliveroo riders’ self-employed status

The UK Court of Appeal has unanimously and emphatically rejected an appeal, based on novel human rights arguments, that Deliveroo riders were ‘workers’ for the purposes of the UK’s trade union recognition legislation. In November 2017, the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) rejected an application from the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) for collective bargaining rights in respect of Deliveroo riders. The CAC ruled…

Gender critical beliefs are considered as philosophical beliefs in the UK

The UK Employment Appeal Tribunal has ruled that ‘gender critical’ beliefs are protected philosophical beliefs for equality law purposes, while confirming that a belief in ‘gender identity’ is also a protected characteristic. This means that it is unlawful to discriminate against someone because they do or do not hold either of those beliefs. Background to the case Maya Forstater was a consultant for CGD Europe, a not-for-profit…

EU immigration to the UK after Brexit: what you need to know about EU Settlement Scheme deadlines

The main post-Brexit EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) deadline is looming on 30 June 2021, however there are other deadlines and considerations that applicants and their employers in the UK may not be aware of. In this article we highlight a selection of issues that relate to the main deadline, or that will start to have practical implications after 30 June 2021. Main EU Settlement Scheme…

Flexible working and the right to ask: a guide for employers in the UK

This article summarises the right to ask for flexible working in the UK and explains how discrimination law applies in this context. Introduction Employees seeking a better balance between the demands of work and personal life may seek a change in their working arrangements, for example, through part-time working, job-sharing or a change in working hours.   While there is no right to insist on working in…

Der „Brexit“ ist vollzogen: Was deutsche Arbeitgeber und UK-Arbeitnehmer nun beachten sollten

Nach langwierigen Verhandlungen um einen Brexit-Deal ist das Vereinigte Königreich mit Ablauf des 31. Januar 2020 aus der Europäischen Union ausgetreten. In unserer Blogbeiträgen vom 21. Februar 2020 und vom 28. November 2019 haben wir bereits über mögliche Konsequenzen des Brexit für Arbeitgeber und über den Aufenthalt und Arbeitsmarktzugang von UK-Staatsbürgern in Deutschland berichtet. Seit dem 1. Januar 2021 ist nun auch die sog. Übergangsphase,…

Detached Workers in the UK and the EU: What's new about social security contributions

In a welcome move last week, the EU notified the UK that all EU countries will apply the ‘detached workers’ exception to UK employees who are temporarily seconded to work in the EU. Similarly, the UK will apply the detached workers exception for EU employees who are temporarily seconded to work in the UK. This article reviews the latest position. Under the Social Security Co-ordination…

Long Covid: what implications does it have for employers in the UK?

This article explores the growing phenomenon of ‘Long Covid’: the continuation of serious symptoms and effects for a significant period after a person’s initial COVID-19 infection and illness. Is disability discrimination law likely to apply in this context in the UK and how should employers approach this issue?  The COVID-19 virus was first identified in China towards the end of 2019 and, a year or so…