Rebecca Tuck is a barrister at Old Square Chamber specialising in employment law. She is a fee paid employment judge, co-author of Employment Tribunal Procedures (LAG) and a contributor to ,ĂƌǀĞLJ ŽŶ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ZĞůĂƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ >Ăǁ͘ ,Ğƌ ƉƌĂĐƟĐĞ ĞŶĐŽŵƉĂƐƐĞƐ Ăůů ĂƌĞĂƐ ŽĨ ĞŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ ůĂǁ ǁŝƚŚ ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚ ŝŶ ĚŝƐĐƌŝŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĞƋƵĂů ƉĂLJ ĐĂƐĞƐ͘ ^ƚƵĂƌƚ ƌŝƩĞŶĚĞŶ is a barrister at Old Square Chambers specialising in ďŽƚŚ ŝŶĚŝǀŝĚƵĂů ĂŶĚ ĐŽůůĞĐƟǀĞ ĞŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ ůĂǁ͘ ^ƚƵĂƌƚ ŚĂƐ ůĞĐƚƵƌĞĚ ŝŶ ůĂďŽƵƌ ůĂǁ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ >^ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƚĞƐ ƚŽ ǀĂƌŝŽƵƐ ƉƵďůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ Tolley’s Employment Law and Munkman on Employer’s Liability. ĞƚƐĂŶ ƌŝĚĚůĞ is a barrister at Old Square Chambers specialising in ĞŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ĚŝƐĐƌŝŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ ůĂǁ͘ ,Ğƌ ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌ ĂƌĞĂƐ ŽĨ ĞdžƉĞƌƟƐĞ are disputes involving doctors, whistleblowing and pregnancy ĂŶĚ ŵĂƚĞƌŶŝƚLJ ĚŝƐĐƌŝŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ͘ ^ŚĞ ŝƐ ĐŽͲĂƵƚŚŽƌ ŽĨ ŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ Tribunal Procedures (LAG) and a contributor on employment tribunal procedures to Employment Precedents and Company Policy ŽĐƵŵĞŶƚƐ ;^ǁĞĞƚ ĂŶĚ DĂdžǁĞůůͿ͘ ĚĂŵ ZŽƐƐ is a barrister at Old Square Chambers specialising in ĞŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ĚŝƐĐƌŝŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ ůĂǁ͘ ,ŝƐ ƉƌĂĐƟĐĞ ĂůƐŽ ŝŶĐůƵĚĞƐ ƉĞƌƐŽŶĂů ŝŶũƵƌLJ ĂŶĚ ƉƌŽĨĞƐƐŝŽŶĂů ĚŝƐĐŝƉůŝŶĞ ŵĂƩĞƌƐ͘ ƌƵŶŽ 'ŝů ŝƐ Ă ďĂƌƌŝƐƚĞƌ Ăƚ KůĚ ^ƋƵĂƌĞ ŚĂŵďĞƌƐ͘ ,Ğ ŚĂƐ Ă ƉĂƌƟĐƵůĂƌ interest in employment law. As this year’s newest tenant, he currently undertakes work in all areas.
dŚŝƐ ƉƵďůŝĐĂƟŽŶ͕ ůŝŬĞ Ăůů ƉƵďůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƟƚƵƚĞ͕ ƌĞƉƌĞƐĞŶƚƐ ŶŽƚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽůůĞĐƟǀĞ ǀŝĞǁƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƟƚƵƚĞ ďƵƚ ŽŶůLJ ƚŚĞ ǀŝĞǁƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĂƵƚŚŽƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ƌĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďŝůŝƚLJ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ /ŶƐƟƚƵƚĞ ŝƐ ůŝŵŝƚĞĚ ƚŽ ĂƉƉƌŽǀŝŶŐ ŝƚƐ ISBN 978-1-906703-33-2 ƉƵďůŝĐĂƟŽŶƐ ĂƐ ǁŽƌƚŚLJ ŽĨ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌĂƟŽŶ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůĂďŽƵƌ ŵŽǀĞŵĞŶƚ͘ December 2016 published by the /ŶƐƟƚƵƚĞ ŽĨ Employment Rights 4th Floor, Jack Jones House, 1 Islington, Liverpool, L3 8EG ĞͲŵĂŝů ŽĸĐĞΛŝĞƌ͘ŽƌŐ͘ƵŬ www.ier.org.uk Design and layout by Upstream (TU) www.upstream.coop Printed by The Russell Press (www. russellpress.com) £8 for trade unions and students £30 others
labour law highlights 2016
edited by Rebecca Tuck
labour law highlights 2016
contents
ii
ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ
ϭ
ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ĂĐƟŽŶ
ϯ
Trade Union Act 2016 ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ĂĐƟŽŶ
3 ϰ
trade union ƌĞĐŽŐŶŝƟŽŶ
8
ĞŶƚƌĂů ƌďŝƚƌĂƟŽŶ ŽŵŵŝƩĞĞ ĐĞƌƟĮĐĂƟŽŶ ŽĸĐĞƌ
ϵ ϭϬ
ƉĂLJ ĂŶĚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƚĞƌŵƐ ĂŶĚ ĐŽŶĚŝƟŽŶƐ
ϭϮ
vicarious liability pay holiday pay ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ƟŵĞ
12 13 13 ϭϱ
employment rights
16
whistleblowing maternity and paternity rights ƉĂƌƚͲƟŵĞ ǁŽƌŬĞƌƐ TUPE unfair dismissal redundancy
16 18 ϭϵ 20 24 26
ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚĞĚ ĐŚĂƌĂĐƚĞƌŝƐƟĐƐ
27 Ϯϳ
disability
27
religion or belief
27
ĚŝƌĞĐƚ ĚŝƐĐƌŝŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ ŝŶĚŝƌĞĐƚ ĚŝƐĐƌŝŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ failure to make reasonable adjustments ĚŝƐĐƌŝŵŝŶĂƟŽŶ ĂƌŝƐŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ĚŝƐĂďŝůŝƚLJ ƐĐŽƉĞ ŽĨ ůĞŐŝƐůĂƟŽŶ remedies
Ϯϴ Ϯϵ 29 ϯϬ ϯϬ 31
equal pay
32
human rights
33
employment tribunal procedure
33
endnotes
38 labour law highlights 2016
equality
iii
iv
labour law highlights 2016
labour law highlights 20161 ŝŶƚƌŽĚƵĐƟŽŶ KŶ Ϯϯ :ƵŶĞ ϮϬϭϲ ƚŚĞ h< ǀŽƚĞĚ ϱϮй ƚŽ ϰϴй ƚŽ ůĞĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ h͘ Ɛ / ƚLJƉĞ͕ the High Court has in the last hour handed down its judgment that ƌƟĐůĞ ϱϬ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ dƌĞĂƚLJ ŽŶ ƵƌŽƉĞĂŶ hŶŝŽŶ ʹ ƚŚĞ ƐƚĂƌƟŶŐ ŐƵŶ ƚŽ ĐŽŵŵĞŶĐĞ ͚ĚŝǀŽƌĐĞ ƉƌŽĐĞĞĚŝŶŐƐ͛ ʹ ĐĂŶŶŽƚ ďĞ ƚƌŝŐŐĞƌĞĚ ďLJ ƵƐĞ ŽĨ ĐƌŽǁŶ sovereignty, bypassing Parliament. The judgment of the Lord Chief :ƵƐƟĐĞ ďĞŐŝŶƐ ďLJ ŶŽƟŶŐ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƚ ǁĂƐ ͚ĐŽŵŵŽŶ ŐƌŽƵŶĚ ƚŚĂƚ ǁŝƚŚĚƌĂǁĂů from the European Union will have profound consequences in ƚĞƌŵƐ ŽĨ ĐŚĂŶŐŝŶŐ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ůĂǁ ŝŶ ĞĂĐŚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ũƵƌŝƐĚŝĐƟŽŶƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ hŶŝƚĞĚ <ŝŶŐĚŽŵ͛͘ LJ ƚŚĞ ƟŵĞ LJŽƵ ƌĞĂĚ ƚŚŝƐ ƚŚĞ ^ƵƉƌĞŵĞ ŽƵƌƚ ŵĂLJ ǁĞůů ŚĂǀĞ ĚĞůŝǀĞƌĞĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ũƵĚŐŵĞŶƚ ŽŶ ƚŚŝƐ ŵĂƩĞƌ͘ dŚĞƌĞ ĐĂŶ ďĞ ŶŽ scope however for any departure from this common ground, and at ƉƌĞƐĞŶƚ͕ ǁŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ͚ƉƌŽĨŽƵŶĚ ĐŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶĐĞƐ͛ ŽĨ ƌĞdžŝƚ ǁŝůů ůŽŽŬ ůŝŬĞ ŝƐ an unknown. Much ink has been spilt this year in considering how labour law might be impacted,2 and despite assurances from our new Prime Minister, few consider that the impact on workers is likely to ďĞ ďĞŶĞĮĐŝĂů ;Ăƚ ůĞĂƐƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐŚŽƌƚ ƚĞƌŵͿ ǁŝƚŚ ƉƌŽǀŝƐŝŽŶƐ ĂďŽƵƚ ƉĂŝĚ ŚŽůŝĚĂLJƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ ĞĂƌůLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĮƌŝŶŐ ůŝŶĞ ůŝŬĞůLJ ƚŽ ďĞ ǁĂƚĞƌĞĚ down, if not repealed.
The challenges to tribunal fees launched by UNISON are due to be ŚĞĂƌĚ ďLJ ƚŚĞ ^ƵƉƌĞŵĞ ŽƵƌƚ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ĞŶĚ ŽĨ ƚŚŝƐ LJĞĂƌ͘ dŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ ƐƟůů some prospect therefore of 2016 ending on a higher note than it has reached thus far. ŽŶƟŶƵŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƚŚĞŵĞ͕ ŝŶ :ƵŶĞ ϮϬϭϲ ƚŚĞ / Z ƉƌŽĚƵĐĞĚ Ă ŶĞǁ ƌĞƉŽƌƚ ĞŶƟƚůĞĚ DĂŶŝĨĞƐƚŽ ĨŽƌ >ĂďŽƵƌ >Ăǁ͖ ƚŽǁĂƌĚƐ Ă ĐŽŵƉƌĞŚĞŶƐŝǀĞ
labour law highlights 2016
ŶĚ ƚƵƌŶŝŶŐ ƚŽ ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ůĞŐŝƐůĂƟŽŶ͕ ĂďƐĞŶƚ ĂŶLJ ͚ ƵƌŽƉĞĂŶ ŝŶŇƵĞŶĐĞ͕͛ ǁĞ ŚĂǀĞ ƚŚĞ dƌĂĚĞ hŶŝŽŶ Đƚ ŽĨ ϮϬϭϲ͕ ŵƵĐŚ ŽĨ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĞĚ ƚŽ ĐŽŵĞ ŝŶƚŽ ĨŽƌĐĞ ŝŶ ϮϬϭϳ͘ ůƐŽ Ă ŵĂƩĞƌ ĂďŽƵƚ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŵƵĐŚ ŝŶŬ ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ ƐƉŝůƚ͕ ĂŶĚ ǁŚĞƌĞ ŝƚ ŝƐ ĚŝĸĐƵůƚ ƚŽ ĮŶĚ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞƐ ĨŽƌ ǁŽƌŬĞƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ǁĂƌŶŝŶŐƐ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƟƌŝŶŐ ĞƌƟĮĐĂƟŽŶ KĸĐĞƌ ŝŶ ƌĞůĂƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ŝŵƉĂĐƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ Đƚ ŽŶ ŚŝƐ ŽĸĐĞ ĂƌĞ ƐƚĂƌŬ ;ƐĞĞ ƉĂŐĞ ϭϮ ďĞůŽǁͿ͘
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revision of workers’ rights (see page 40 for details). This is a typically ƟŵĞůLJ ƉŝĞĐĞ ŽĨ ǁŽƌŬ ďLJ / Z͕ ĐŽŶƚĂŝŶŝŶŐ Ϯϱ ƉŽůŝĐLJ ŝĚĞĂƐ͕ ĚƌĂŌĞĚ ďLJ ϭϱ ůĞŐĂů ĂŶĚ ĂĐĂĚĞŵŝĐ ĞdžƉĞƌƚƐ͕ ƉƌŽƉŽƐŝŶŐ Ă ĨƌĂŵĞǁŽƌŬ ŽĨ ůĂďŽƵƌ ůĂǁ Įƚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ϮϭƐƚ ĐĞŶƚƵƌLJ͘ dŚĞ ŝŶŝƟĂů Ăŝŵ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƉŽƌƚ ǁĂƐ ƚŽ ŝŶĨŽƌŵ ƚŚĞ >ĂďŽƵƌ WĂƌƚLJ͛Ɛ tŽƌŬƉůĂĐĞ ϮϬϮϬ EĂƟŽŶĂů ŽŶǀĞƌƐĂƟŽŶ ďƵƚ ŝƚ ǁŝůů ĂůƐŽ ďĞ Ă ƵƐĞĨƵů ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƐƚͲ ƌĞdžŝƚ ĚĞďĂƚĞ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĐĞŶƚůLJ ĂŶŶŽƵŶĐĞĚ ƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ͕ ŶĞƌŐLJ ĂŶĚ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ^ƚƌĂƚĞŐLJ ŽŵŵŝƩĞĞ ; /^Ϳ inquiry into the future world of work. I am as always grateful to my co-authors for their hard work in condensing the plethora of important cases that have been fought ĂŶĚ ƌĞƉŽƌƚĞĚ ƚŚŝƐ LJĞĂƌ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ^ƚƵĂƌƚ ƌŝƩĞŶĚĞŶ ĂŶĚ ĞƚƐĂŶ ƌŝĚĚůĞ being joined by two of our newer members of Old Square Chambers, Adam Ross and Bruno Gil.
labour law highlights 2016
Rebecca Tuck KůĚ ^ƋƵĂƌĞ ŚĂŵďĞƌƐ ϯ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ ϮϬϭϲ
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About the Institute dŚĞ /ŶƐƟƚƵƚĞ ŽĨ ŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ ZŝŐŚƚƐ ƐĞĞŬƐ ƚŽ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉ ĂŶ ĂůƚĞƌŶĂƟǀĞ ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ ƚŽ ůĂďŽƵƌ ůĂǁ ĂŶĚ ŝŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů ƌĞůĂƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ŵĂŬĞƐ Ă ĐŽŶƐƚƌƵĐƟǀĞ ĐŽŶƚƌŝďƵƟŽŶ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ debate on the future of trade union freedoms. We provide the research, ideas and detailed legal arguments to support ǁŽƌŬŝŶŐ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƵŶŝŽŶƐ ďLJ ĐĂůůŝŶŐ ƵƉŽŶ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĂůƚŚ ŽĨ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ knowledge of our unique network of academics, lawyers and trade unionists. dŚĞ /ŶƐƟƚƵƚĞ ŝƐ ŶŽƚ Ă ĐĂŵƉĂŝŐŶŝŶŐ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟŽŶ͕ ŶŽƌ ĚŽ ǁĞ ƐŝŵƉůLJ ƌĞƐƉŽŶĚ ƚŽ the policies of the government. Our aim is to provide and promote ideas. We ƐĞĞŬ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ ƉƌŽĚƵĐĞ Ă ͚ĐŽŶƐĞŶƐƵƐ͛ ǀŝĞǁ ďƵƚ ƚŽ ĚĞǀĞůŽƉ ŶĞǁ ƚŚŽƵŐŚƚƐ͕ ŶĞǁ ŝĚĞĂƐ ĂŶĚ Ă ŶĞǁ ĂƉƉƌŽĂĐŚ ƚŽ ŵĞĞƚ ƚŚĞ ĚĞŵĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ ƟŵĞƐ͘
/ Z ŽĸĐĞƌƐ President Chair Treasurer Director
WƌŽĨĞƐƐŽƌ <ĞŝƚŚ ǁŝŶŐ :ŽŚŶ ,ĞŶĚLJ͕ Y 'ĞŽī ^ŚĞĂƌƐ ĂƌŽůLJŶ :ŽŶĞƐ
&Žƌ ŵŽƌĞ ŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ Ă ĨƵůů ůŝƐƚ ŽĨ / Z ŵĞŵďĞƌƐ ǀŝƐŝƚ www.ier.org.uk dŚĞ /ŶƐƟƚƵƚĞ ŽĨ ŵƉůŽLJŵĞŶƚ ZŝŐŚƚƐ 4th Floor Jack Jones House 1 Islington Liverpool, L3 8EG dĞů͗ Ϭϭϱϭ ϮϬϳ ϱϮϲϱ ŵĂŝů͗ ŽĸĐĞΛŝĞƌ͘ŽƌŐ͘ƵŬ dǁŝƩĞƌ͗ ΛŝĞƌƵŬ