Law Commission extend employment rights

 

This latest proposal states that existing team members can take their employers before a tribunal if they have been made to work in excess of their agreed maximum hours.  

 

Currently staff can only take employers to court after they have left the firm. However the new proposals suggest employees can make that step whilst still in the firms employ under the heading, "breach of contract".

 

The proposals are in response to numerous high profile instances of sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination. These accusations have been levelled against charities and the Top Shop supremo Sir Philip Green. 

 

Nicholas Paines, QC, Law Commissioner, said, "The adjustments will improve employment tribunals' ability to resolve disputes as effectively and justly as possible in one place."

 

In the April report the Law Commission noted that employees' entitlements, such as payment for statutory leave, were generally handled by tribunals. Consequently that made it "desirable" to extend their jurisdiction to ruling on complaints by employees about their workload.

 

Priior to publishing their proposal the Law Commissioon consulted a number of employers who subsequently criticised the plans to allow employees to sue their bosses while still working for them.

 

One of the UK's largest property groups reportedly commented that, "it would lead to a rise in claims."

 

PM Law 

Sheffield Solicitors