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Sex discrimination

New and updated

  • Date:
    28 May 2008
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Pregnancy dismissal: Fertilised but non-implanted ova did not constitute pregnancy

    In Mayr v Bäckerei und Konditorei Gerhard Flockner OHG [2008] IRLR 387, the ECJ held that the protection afforded by the Pregnant Workers Directive against dismissal on grounds of pregnancy does not extend to a woman undergoing IVF treatment who was dismissed when in-vitro-fertilised ova existed but had not yet been transferred to her uterus. However, if she was dismissed essentially because she had undergone this advanced stage of IVF treatment, her dismissal would amount to direct sex discrimination contrary to the Equal Treatment Directive.

  • Date:
    25 February 2008
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Sex discrimination: Discriminatory act amounted to constructive dismissal

    In Shaw v CCL Ltd EAT/0512/06, the EAT held that an employee whose request to work part time on her return from maternity leave was refused had been constructively unfairly dismissed.

  • Date:
    18 July 2007
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Maternity leave: Right to return to work

    In Blundell v The Governing Body of St Andrew's Catholic Primary School and another EAT/0329/06 the Employment Appeal Tribunal held that a teacher returning to work following maternity leave was not entitled to return to the same class that she had been teaching when her maternity leave began.

  • Date:
    14 May 2007
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Sex discrimination: Prima facie case requires more than a difference in sex and a difference in treatment

    In Madarassy v Nomura International plc [2007] IRLR 246, the Court of Appeal has held that a "possibility" of discrimination arising only from a difference in gender and a difference in treatment is not, without more, sufficient to support an inference of unlawful discrimination, thereby shifting the burden of proof to the employer.

  • Date:
    1 April 2007
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    EC Directive not properly implemented

    The High Court has found that the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, as amended, does not give full effect to the revised EC Equal Treatment Directive, in Equal Opportunities Commission v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (12 March 2007).

  • Date:
    17 November 2006
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Sex discrimination: Hospital's chaperone policy caused a detriment to a male nurse

    In Moyhing v Barts and London NHS Trust EAT/0085/06, the Employment Appeal Tribunal holds that an employer's policy of chaperoning male nurses carrying out intimate procedures on female patients was sex discrimination. The claimant was entitled to feel that the policy subjected him to a detriment.

  • Date:
    7 July 2006
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Health and safety/maternity rights: 'Avoiding risk' to new and expectant mothers

    In New Southern Railway Ltd v Quinn [2006] IRLR 606 EAT, the Employment Appeal Tribunal holds that an employer's duty to take steps to "avoid" risk to a pregnant woman means that the risk should be reduced to its lowest acceptable level - not that it must be removed completely.

  • Type:
    Employment law cases

    Case round-up: Sex discrimination

    This week's case round-up from Eversheds, covering sex discrimination.

  • Date:
    23 June 2006
    Type:
    Employment law cases

    Sex discrimination: Pro rata reduction of contractual bonus for ordinary maternity leave not discriminatory

    In Hoyland v Asda Stores Ltd [2006] All ER (D) 133 CS, the Court of Session holds that despite being described as "discretionary" a bonus scheme was "regulated" by the employee's contract of employment and therefore fell outside the scope of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

  • Type:
    Employment law cases

    Case round-up: Constructive dismissal compensation and injury to feelings award

    This week's case round-up from Eversheds, covering: constructive dismissal compensation; and injury to feelings awards.