November 2019 Newsletter

It’s November and although we can’t promise any HR/employment law ‘fireworks’ in this newsletter (it’s been quiet!) we can update you on the Government’s response to the Women and Equalities Select Committee’s (WESC) report on the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).  We also update you on the potential push to increase the amount of employer contributions to the cost of legal advice on settlement agreements, particularly when they include NDAs.

In our case update this month we look at whether a belief in the ‘human or moral right to own the copyright and moral right of creative works and outputs’ amounts to a philosophical belief under discrimination law; when the covert surveillance of employees with CCTV may be lawful; and, finally, the dangers of giving a false reason for dismissal.

What we’ve been doing recently…

 We were delighted to be part of the South West CIPD’s Employment Law Day at UWE on Friday 29th November.  Anne-Marie and Tamsin presented to over 50 HR professionals about Pregnancy and Maternity in Business, covering a range of tricky issues on this topic including; communication during maternity leave, managing an employee’s return to work and redundancies and dismissals during and after an employee’s maternity leave.  The day was very well-attended, discussions were stimulating and lively and delegates went away armed, informed and better equipped to manage day-to-day employment law issues in their organisations.

A roundup of this month’s news: 

• Government reforms (1):  Non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)- Response to WESC report
• Settlement Agreements: Cost of Legal Advice 
• Case update (1): Discrimination – Philosophical Belief and Intellectual Property 
• Case update (2):  Human Rights and Covert Monitoring  
• Case update (3): Discrimination – Beware False Reasons for Dismissal