Are you gender-fluid and wondering whether discrimination laws protect you at work? You may know that gender reassignment is a protected characteristic, meaning that trans people must be treated fairly at work. If you’re non-binary or gender-fluid, you may not be undergoing any medical treatment, so you might wonder whether you’re covered by the same …
Have you been discriminated against because of your sexual orientation? Maybe not. But imagine this… You’re a gay man, and your colleagues taunt you at work. They call you “camp” and make limp-wristed gestures. They send you an email showing stereotypically gay characters with comments directed at you. They write “I love” under a photo …
Worried about going to work in an unsafe workplace? In the current coronavirus situation, here are some of the things your employer should do: Allow space in the workplace for social distancing Provide PPE for jobs that involve close contact with other people Ensure surfaces are cleaned regularly Ensure shared equipment is cleaned between each …
A B&Q worker was sacked after having time off sick when she fell ill with Covid-19. She tried twice to contact her manager in advance of missing her shifts, but no-one answered. After this, she became so unwell that she was struggling to breathe. This meant she was unable to call again. While still being signed …
You might have heard of the gender pay gap. Less well known is the ethnicity pay gap. If you are paid less (or otherwise disadvantaged at work) because of your race, you can make a claim for race discrimination. What the data shows Surveys show that black people are most likely to have a household …
The furlough scheme started back in March, to help businesses and staff survive the Covid-19 lockdown. If you’ve been off on furlough, you might now be at risk of redundancy. The government has been paying 80% of your wages (up to a limit). But this could never go on forever, and the scheme is currently …
Have you been harassed by your boss? That’s what happened to Kim Beaney. In April 2017, she took a job at Highways England as a driver and trainee highway inspector. She was interviewed by her line manager, Grant Bosence. Even before she started the job, he initiated unsolicited text messages and phone calls where he …
Are you overworked to the extent that it’s affecting your mental health? Here’s a story about one employee who experience that situation, and how she won her case for constructive unfair dismissal. Case study In 2013, Elizabeth Aylott joined BPP University in London as a lecturer. At the time, she informed the organisation that she …
It is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against someone for being pregnant or on maternity leave, but that’s what happened to Laura Gruzdaite. She made a claim to the employment tribunal and was awarded nearly £28,000 for pregnancy discrimination. Read her story below and find out what it means to you. January 2018 Laura …
In August 2016, Alexandra de Souza E Souza, who is transgender, got a job as a retail assistant at Primark in Oxford Street (West). The interviewer agreed ‘Alexandra’ could be shown on her name badge, but said HR and payroll had to be set up in her official birth name of ‘Alexander’. Before she started …