Employment disputes
A car salesman whose health suffered as a direct result of sex discrimination when he was dismissed because he was a man is awarded £15,000 compensation, including £5,000 for injury to feelings, by a Birmingham industrial tribunal (Chair: J K Macmillan) in Smith v Swithland Motors plc.
In McClenaghan and Rice v British Shoe Corporation Ltd a Belfast industrial tribunal (Chair: E McBride) awards £11,455 compensation, including £8,000 for injury to feelings, to a maternity leaver who suffered "severe depression" following her dismissal when illness prevented her from returning to work within the statutory period.
A teenage girl who was turned down for an apprenticeship as a garage mechanic is awarded compensation of £24,389, including £3,500 for injury to feelings, by a London South industrial tribunal (Chair: E R Donnelly) in Bishop v The Cooper Group plc.
Compensation of £10,000 has been awarded by a Leeds industrial tribunal (Chair: P A Morris) in Miss A and Miss B v R1 and R2 to each of two employees in respect of injury to feelings resulting from sexual harassment.
In Laher v London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham the EAT has set aside the decision of an industrial tribunal dismissing a race discrimination complaint on grounds that there was bias shown by the tribunal chair against the applicant.
In Kamal v Wakefield Health Authority a Leeds industrial tribunal (Chair: J Prophet) has ruled that until new legislation has been enacted, there is no time limits on claims brought under Article 119 of the EC Treaty based on the decision of the House of Lords that the hours-per-week qualifying thresholds under the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act are incompatible with EC law.
The time limit for bringing a complaint against a public sector employer in respect of discriminatory retirement did not begin to run until the date the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay (Remedies) Regulations 1993 came into force, rules a Southampton industrial tribunal (Chair: I T Soulsby) in Wild v Portsmouth & SE Hants Health Authority.
In Mulox IBC Ltd v Geels [1994] IRLR 422 ECJ, the European Court of Justice held that legal proceedings in respect of disputes arising out of contracts of employment should be brought in the country in which the employee carries out the activities agreed with the employer, rather than the country in which the employer's establishment is located.
In Homewood v Ministry of Defence a Glasgow industrial tribunal (Chair: H J Murphy) has awarded £299,851 to a former army major who was forced to resign when she became pregnant.
A recommendation that staff who come into contact with job applicants be trained in the provisions of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and that all those handling job applications and conducting interviews be trained in the avoidance of unlawful discrimination has been made by a Middlesborough industrial tribunal (Chair: J D Myers) in Dickinson and Field v Mason and Mason.
Employment law cases: HR and legal information and guidance relating to employment disputes.