New rules: Increase to unfair dismissal and related awards from April 2016

The annual review of the maximum compensation that can be awarded in unfair dismissal and other cases sees an increase in the awards from 6 April.

Case law: Employer discontinuing childcare vouchers during maternity leave is not discriminatory

Employers providing non-cash alternatives to salary under a salary sacrifice scheme, such as childcare vouchers, may be able to discontinue them during ordinary maternity leave, following a recent ruling.

Case law: Failure to follow agreement when giving notice makes notice invalid

Businesses giving notice pursuant to provisions in commercial agreements should ensure they follow those provisions to the letter, or risk the notice being invalid, a recent ruling makes clear.

New guidance: New resources help organisations avoid discrimination in advertisements for jobs and services

Businesses and other organisations will welcome new online resources in plain English from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on how to avoid discrimination when advertising jobs or services.

Case law: Mere registration of business name as a domain name by third party can be ‘passing off’

Businesses and other organisations should monitor the Internet for third party registrations of domain names that are identical or similar to their own trading, brand and other names, as they may be entitled to bring immediate ‘passing off’ actions against those third parties.

Case law: First conviction of UK business for ‘failing to prevent bribery’ offence

All business organisations and senior officers should ensure they have adequate procedures to prevent bribery by ‘associated persons’ on their behalf, or risk being criminally liable, after the first conviction for ‘failure to prevent bribery’.

New law: National minimum wage rates for 1 October 2016 announced

New national minimum wage rates for 1 October 2016 have been announced by the Government.

Case law: Employee dishonestly claiming illness or injury breaches duty of trust and confidence to employer

Employers should carry out reasonable investigations, and have a genuine and reasonable belief there has been dishonesty, before dismissing an employee for lying about or exaggerating an illness or injury, a ruling makes clear.

Case law: Court clarifies when trade mark owners can apply to block websites infringing their trade mark rights

Trade mark and other intellectual property owners whose rights are being infringed on third party websites should consider applying for blocking orders against relevant Internet Service Providers to block the infringing website, following a recent ruling.

Case law: Employer can be liable for employee’s abusive behaviour towards third party

Employers should make clear to employees what they can and cannot do when ‘acting about their employer’s business’, as they can be held liable if employees behave badly or abusively.