How long can a doctor give a sick line for? Some people call it a sick line. Others call it a sick note. It’s also known as a fit note. The technical term is ‘Statement of Fitness for Work’. Whatever you call it, it might be issued by a doctor or another healthcare professional. Basically, …
Can occupational health get you sacked? The short answer is that occupational health (OH) is there to provide information to your employer to help them make a decision about how to make your workplace more suitable to your health needs but also, from time to time, on whether to keep a person employed. It’s not …
“I’m a white man and I’ve been discriminated against” Don’t assume that discrimination is always against women or minority groups such as BAME or disabled or LGBTQ+ people. It is possible to be a white man and still be discriminated against. This article describes an example from early 2023. The story The Armed Forces have …
Let’s start by defining the various ways you might leave or lose your job: You resign, perhaps because you’ve got another job You retire, because you don’t want or need to work any more You’re dismissed fairly, maybe because you committed gross misconduct Your role is made redundant, meaning that your job isn’t available any …
What does ex gratia mean? The British legal system is descended from the European legal system, which was influenced by the courts of ancient Rome. Back then, Latin was the predominant language. It survived as such for around 1,000 years. One reason might be that Latin was the language of ‘the educated classes’ and those …
“My colleague has made sexist comments” The days are gone when it was perceived to be OK to display ‘girly’ photos on the workplace wall, and for male managers to make lecherous remarks about the pretty girls in their summer dresses. Today, most people know that no-one should have to put up with sexist remarks …
Can I be sacked for social media posts? The answer is yes, if what you post brings the company into disrepute. You might wonder how this can happen. As you may know, we have offices in Belfast, Northern Ireland (as well as in Leeds, London and Newcastle, England). These two stories are linked and recently …
“Can I claim for whistleblowing discrimination?” The short answer is YES. This article gives a longer answer, plus details of a case where a Royal Mail employee was awarded over £2.3 million for exactly that. Let’s start by defining whistleblowing… What is whistleblowing? Whistleblowing means “disclosing wrongdoings in the public interest”. That might include reporting …
“Can I be made redundant during maternity leave?” Your employer ought to offer you suitable alternative employment as priority, if it’s available and your role is made redundant while you’re on maternity, adoption or shared parental leave. Changes to the law are currently going through the House of Lords, which will also help to protect …
“I’ve lost my job after whistleblowing. Can I claim for unfair dismissal?” If something is being done illegally at work, we should not ‘turn a blind eye’, especially if it’s a health and safety matter, or something that’s damaging to the environment. You have a legal right to complain about such things. You should not …