ByteSize

£500,000 for Data Protection breaches
View this ByteSize article

The Ministry of Justice has announced plans to give the Information Commissioner the power to impose penalties of up to £500,000 on data controllers who seriously breach the Data Protection Act 1998. The ICO would have power to issue a monetary penalty notice if a serious contravention occurs

Compensation falls
View this ByteSize article

For the first time ever the government has decided to reduce the maximum level of compensatory award for unfair dismissal.

Dismissal not religious discrimination
View this ByteSize article

In the case of McFarlane v Relate Avon Ltd the EAT has found that the dismissal of a counsellor who was described as a committed Christian for refusing to work with gay couples is not direct religious discrimination.

Statutory payments to rise
View this ByteSize article

The Statutory adoption, maternity and paternity pay and maternity allowance will rise from £123.06 to £124.88 from April 2010. Statutory sick pay will remain at £79.15 per week.

Pregnant workers pay finding
View this ByteSize article

The Advocate General has given an opinion that where pregnant workers are transferred on health and safety grounds to lower paid jobs they only need to be paid at the rate other workers receive for doing the same job, not the previous salary from their substantive job.

Consultation on default retirement
View this ByteSize article

The government has begun consulting on the default retirement age. Responses should be made by 1 February 2010 on the following points:

Insolvency Practitioners urged to consult
View this ByteSize article

Ian Lucas, minister for Business and Regulatory Reform, has recently circulated advice to insolvency practitioners reminding them of the duty to consult employees facing redundancy.

Paid leave to care for sick relatives?
View this ByteSize article

The government has sparked controversy with a suggestion that carers might be entitled to paid time off to look after dependents, and that temporary workers might qualify for the same rights.

Belief in climate change can constitute a 'philosophical belief'
View this ByteSize article

In a recent case the EAT held that an employee’s belief in climate change could amount to a philosophical belief for the purposes of the Religion or Belief Regulations.

Vento guidelines increased
View this ByteSize article

The EAT has held that the Vento guidelines, used to assess compensation for injury to feelings in discrimination cases, should be increased to take account of inflation.