Pay and benefits
This week's case of the week, provided by DLA Piper, covers equal pay claims.
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has upheld an employment tribunal decision that an employee who was allowed to sleep for much of his shift, but had to deal with anything untoward that might arise, was entitled to be paid the national minimum wage for the whole shift.
A recent decision of the European Court of Justice may result in the UK having to amend its sexual orientation laws in relation to pensions. Although the main points at issue in the case are already covered by legislation in the UK, the application of the Barber temporal restriction may have an impact on public sector schemes.
This article looks at some of the important judgments in the area of the transfer of undertakings over the past year.
A review of a number of recent employment tribunal decisions suggests that some employers remain unaware of the implications of, or are struggling with, the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 (SI 2006/1031), which became law on 1 October 2006. The decisions also demonstrate the approach that the tribunals might take to the question of justification of discrimination and to the assessment of injury to feelings compensation.
The High Court has held that an employer could deduct only 1/260th of salary from employees' pay in respect of a one-day strike, and not 1/228th, which discounted paid holiday.
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has held that a trainee in the second year of a learning agreement was entitled to the national minimum wage.
In Bloxham v Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer [2007] ET/2205086/06, an employment tribunal has held that changes to a law firm's pension scheme that discriminated on the grounds of age were justified.
The Court of Appeal ruled in Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council v Bainbridge and others [2007] EWCA Civ 929 that a woman claiming equal pay may rely on a job evaluation study even where the woman's job has been assigned a higher value than that of her comparator.
In Wetherill & Ors v Birmingham City Council [2007] EWCA Civ 599 the Court of Appeal held that a local authority was entitled to vary a car allowance scheme unilaterally, but was in breach of contract by failing to provide adequate transitional protection for affected employees.
Employment law cases: HR and legal information and guidance relating to pay and benefits.