Weekly issue 109 - March 2006

In the news

Given the imminence of the introduction of legislation against age discrimination, the Age Positive team in the Department for Work and Pensions has produced a timely guide for employers. It should also be of interest to unions.

Regulating Disputes

In October 2004, the Government introduced new dispute resolution regulations, requiring employees to put their grievance in writing before they lodge a tribunal claim.

Causing a Commotion

Employees now have the right to ask to work flexibly, but if their employer refuses the application, do they have to lodge a separate grievance before they can complain to a tribunal?

Unity is Strength

Thanks mainly to the efforts of the trade union movement, employees are now entitled to a whole range of different rights at work. These are usually set out in their individual contracts of employment (see LELR 108 for more details).

Out Clubbing

In a claim for negligence, the essential question is: who was responsible for preventing the negligent act?

Equally Valued

In equal pay cases, claimants have to show (among other things) that the difference in pay that they are complaining about can be attributed to a "single source".

Holiday Blues

The Working Time Regulations give workers the right to four weeks' paid annual holiday. But who exactly is a worker?

Life on the Ocean Wave

European law says that there should be no restrictions on the freedom of nationals in member states to set up and manage companies and firms in other member states.