Paul Doran By classifying workers as self-employed, businesses in the ‘gig economy’ may be depriving employees of benefits they should be entitled to. A recent case explains more. Mr King sold windows for The Sash Window Workshop Limited. His contract described him as self-employed, and he was paid solely on commission. His contract didn’t say whether or …
You do not have the right to claim for unfair dismissal if you have been employed for less than two years in Great Britain (or one year in Northern Ireland). “Can I claim for wrongful dismissal?” Wrongful dismissal means you are claiming that your employer breached their contract with you. For example, they didn’t give …
You have no doubt been following this high-profile story in the media. And now there’s a new twist. Here’s a reminder of what’s happened so far. Back in May 2014, gay rights activist, Gareth Lee, ordered a cake at Ashers in Belfast city centre. The cake was for a private function run by Queer Space, …
In research published last year by the TUC, more than half of women say they have been sexually harassed at work – but most didn’t report it due to: worry that it would affect their relationships at work (28%), fear they would not be taken seriously (24%), or embarrassment (20%). In 9/10 cases, the perpetrator …
If you’ve been offered a settlement agreement (known as a compromise agreement in Northern Ireland), your employment is probably being terminated by redundancy or as part of disciplinary action. It means your employer has offered you a sum of money in return for you losing your job. By signing it, you also give up your …
This article builds on our recent article Your rights at work If you are on probation… When you first start working for a new employer, they might initially treat you as being on a ‘probationary’ period. However, in law, there is no such thing as a probationary period; you retain your statutory rights from day …
Lawyers deal with a lot of ‘what ifs’. What if your employer didn’t follow the Acas redundancy selection process correctly? What if you were discriminated against? What if you were unfairly dismissed rather than being made redundant? If you make a claim, you need to know what kind of evidence the employment tribunal will be …
In 2005, Northern Ireland became the first place in the UK to introduce civil partnerships, and the first ceremonies were held at Belfast City Hall. Shannon Sickles & Grainne Close were the first same-sex couple to have their relationship legally recognised, followed later that day by Chris & Henry Flanagan-Kane. Despite same-sex marriage now being …
To be more inclusive, we’re seeing a shift to non-binary language in many areas. The MTV Awards are now gender-neutral, with Best Female and Best Male prizes being combined into one genderless Actor of the Year trophy (which Emma Watson won). Pre-recorded Transport for London announcements will soon say “Good morning, everyone” instead of “Good …
If you’re an employee, you have certain rights at work, such as the right not to be dismissed unfairly, and the right to redundancy pay. These rights do not apply if you’re self-employed, an agency worker, casual worker or trainee. As a result, some employers may attempt to give you that status. This also means …