Remedies and penalties
In Transport & General Workers' Union v Brauer Coley Ltd (in administration) [2007] IRLR 207 EAT the Employment Appeal Tribunal held that where a trade union is successful in proceedings brought for failure to consult on collective redundancies, the protective award cannot be claimed by any employees in respect of whom the trade union was not recognised by the employer.
In Burlo v Langley and another [2006] EWCA Civ 1778 the Court of Appeal holds that an employee's compensation for lack of notice was restricted to her actual loss where she would have been in receipt of statutory sick pay during the notice period.
In Metrobus Ltd v Cook EAT/0490/06, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that an employment tribunal did not err in increasing the amount of unfair dismissal compensation by 40% where an employer had failed to follow the statutory disciplinary and dismissal procedure.
In Scope v Thornett [2007] IRLR 155 CA, the Court of Appeal has stressed that employment tribunals are permitted to make reductions in the amount of compensation awarded for future loss of earnings where this involves speculation.
In Fraser v HLMAD Ltd [2006] IRLR 687 CA, the Court of Appeal holds that claimants who bring claims for wrongful dismissal in the employment tribunal, where a statutory limit on damages of £25,000 applies, cannot recover losses in excess of this limit in the High Court.
In Leicestershire County Council v Unison [2006] IRLR 810 CA, the Court of Appeal holds that a tribunal was entitled to make the maximum protective award in respect of a group of employees who had been dismissed and offered new terms without consultation with the relevant unions.
In Brash-Hall v Getty Images Ltd [2006] EWCA Civ 531 CA, the Court of Appeal holds that an employee dismissed in circumstances that amounted to sex discrimination, but who would have subsequently been dismissed for redundancy in any event, was not entitled to recover compensation reflecting an enhanced redundancy package.
This week's case round-up from Eversheds, covering: constructive dismissal compensation; and injury to feelings awards.
The Court of Appeal has handed down an important decision emphasising the wide discretion that an employment tribunal has to make a 'Polkey reduction' - a ruling that dismissal would have occurred, or would probably have occurred even if a fair procedure or proper investigation had been followed - in an unfair dismissal case.
In Sweetin v Coral Racing, the EAT holds that awards of compensation for a failure to inform and consult about staff transfers under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations should be penal and not compensatory.
Employment law cases: HR and legal information and guidance relating to remedies and penalties.