Paul Doran 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 …
Guaranteed access to prompt and fair justice has been enshrined in English law since Magna Carta in 1297. However, in July 2013, the Government introduced fees to submit claims at Tribunal and a further fee to have them heard. Charges started at £160 for issuing a claim for lost wages or breach of contract. Tribunal …
If you believe you were discriminated against when you lost your job, you may wonder whether you can make a claim against your employer for unfair dismissal. The short answer is yes – but you must act quickly. The time limit is generally three months minus one day from the date you were dismissed. What’s …
A settlement agreement (or compromise agreement in Northern Ireland) waives your right to make a claim against your employer at an employment tribunal or court, usually in return for a payment. But do you need to take legal advice before you accept (or reject) it? The short answer is yes. You do need to take …
A – In most cases, yes. Most appeals are no more than an exercise in rubber-stamping, but if you fail to appeal you may be criticised by the Tribunal or have your compensation reduced. If the decision is not overturned, you may have the right to claim unfair dismissal. If it is overturned, you …
Everybody is talking about the recent BBC pay review. On 19 July, the amount the BBC pays its stars was revealed, listing the 96 people who are each paid more than £150,000 a year. Top of the list was Chris Evans, who gets £2.20 – £2.25 million each year. Second place goes to Gary Lineker, …
Last week Andy Murray was knocked out of Wimbledon and became noted for calling out sexism in tennis. After the match, a reporter said: “Sam [Querrey] is the first American player to reach the semi-final of a Slam since 2009.” Knowing that Serena Williams has won more major titles than we’ve had hot dinners, quick as …
Mr Ali worked for Telefonica. When he was transferred to Capita Customer Management Ltd, Telefonica’s policies transferred with him. Under Telefonica’s policies, female employees with 26 weeks’ service are entitled to 14 weeks’ enhanced maternity pay followed by 25 weeks’ statutory maternity pay. However, new fathers are only entitled to two weeks’ paternity leave on …