As an aficionado of blonde highlights with a side line in curling and straightening my own coiffure from time to time I was slightly sorry to see the new US Army regulations on personal appearance. For those not in the loop, the US Army has recently updated its grooming rules, and in doing so has … Continue Reading
Employment Tribunal statistics released in March 2014 show that there has been a vertiginous drop in new employment claims since the new Tribunal fee structure came into force on 29 July 2013; the average number of claims per month in the October to December 2013 period being 79% less than the same period last year. … Continue Reading
Squire Sanders presents a series of webinars focussing on the key labour and employment issues in various countries throughout Europe, Asia Pacific and the United States. On 26 March 2014 at 4 pm GMT (5 pm CET, 12pm EDT), the featured country is France. Join Jean-Marc Sainsard and Pauline Pierce from Squire Sanders’ Paris office … Continue Reading
While it is not beyond belief that students with tablets and smart phones might surreptitiously occupy their minds elsewhere during a lecture, this year’s Employmentlawworldview Oscar for Best Multitasking must surely go to the Swiss professor dismissed last week for watching porn while giving a lecture. What poise, what practice, what confidence that must take, … Continue Reading
Facebook reports 1.23 billion users, and I am “friends” with only about 38 of them. Statistics like that really keep any pretence of self-importance firmly in check as you mull over the sheer insignificance of your next wise or witty status update. As for the other 1.23 billion users, who really cares how bored you … Continue Reading
It’s that time of year when we all reflect on the past 12 months and think about what we might want to change and improve. For HR professionals, the lessons can be significant; perhaps Bob in Accounts needs some urgent remedial guidance on what is and is not an appropriate Secret Santa gift? Or maybe … Continue Reading
It is a fact of life that whatever goes up will normally come back down (but not necessarily vice versa). Nowhere is this more keenly felt than in the world of British football, where those clubs that just about stay in the Premier League reap riches that would be the envy of Plutus, Ancient Greek … Continue Reading
So what is your first thought as Chairman if one of your Board colleagues names you as a contributing cause of his intended suicide? And how do you feel as line manager at a big international bank if one of the interns under your charge collapses and dies at just 25 due, by all accounts, … Continue Reading
In a recent post on this blog, “Words Fail Me, I’m a Manager,” David Whincup explored the use of euphemisms in the world of employment relations. This is the world where managers, finding it difficult to look employees in the eye, choose email, or better still, text messages to communicate difficult messages, using such choice … Continue Reading
From time to time, a subject will capture the public’s (or at least the media’s) attention. As a result, something which has gone on for many years either unnoticed or at least without comment or apparent controversy, suddenly becomes the focus of heated debate about inequity, political attention and the demand for fairness and change. … Continue Reading
Many fields of human endeavour give rise to sly phrases and painful euphemisms, but perhaps none more so than the world of employment relations. Maybe it is because the language of dismissal can be so brutal – sacked, severed, retrenched, terminated – that employers strive for something to soften the blow for the employee, or … Continue Reading
The trouble with social media is that a tough day in the office followed by a couple of glasses of something restorative can lead some people to over-share, just a little. Such was the fate of US TV reporter Shea Allen, who was fired from Alabama’s WAAY-TV last week after her blog: “Confessions of a … Continue Reading
Back in January we ran a post concerning the dismissal of an Iowa dentist’s assistant because of the threat which his wife considered she posed to the stability of their marriage. We floated there the question of whether a dismissal on those grounds – anticipated repudiatory breach of contract, if you like – could be … Continue Reading
Squire Sanders presents a series of webinars focussing on the key labour and employment issues in various countries throughout Europe, Asia Pacific and the United States. On 22 May 2013 at 5.00 pm CEST (11.00 am EDT, 3.00 pm GMT, 4.00 pm BST (UK)), the featured country is Germany. Martin Falke and Nico Jaenicke from … Continue Reading
If you had a bad day at work would you go home and unleash a tirade of hate about your job and boss on Twitter? No? For most people common sense would prevail but an increasing number of employees seem more than happy to share disparaging comments about their workplace and colleagues on Twitter. Therefore … Continue Reading
Andrew Mitchell, Chief Whip to the Government, has admitted showing “insufficient respect” to two police officers who refused to allow him to leave through the main Downing Street gates on his bicycle last month. He has, however, insisted that his swearing was not directed at the police officers and that he was merely “venting his … Continue Reading
Hot on the heels of the hapless Shearman & Sterling trainee and his inappropriate emails (see post 20 February), transatlantic financial news site hereisthecitynews http://hereisthecity.com/ brings word of another promising candidate for the 2012 Employment Law Worldview Career Suicide Awards. Imagine that you work for an international bank in one of the largest skyscrapers in … Continue Reading
Squire Sanders is presenting a series of monthly webinars featuring the employment laws of various key countries throughout Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas. These webinars provide participants with an understanding of the essential characteristics of the employment laws in these countries from starting a business and developing employment policies to dealing with unions and … Continue Reading
The UK may not win much at the 2012 Olympics but we clearly have some burgeoning talent ready for the World Civil Disorder Championships, scheduled to be held in a retail park in Catford at about the same time. But with a postman and a primary school assistant being two of the first individuals to … Continue Reading
Eschewing the usual idea of taking a career break to find oneself, re-charge one’s batteries or complete that property project, one client’s employee was both bold enough to seek the time off to a spot of podium dancing in Ibiza, and lucky enough that it was still granted. However, the attractions of gyrating about in … Continue Reading
The news about John Galliano’s alleged racist and anti-semitic outburst in a bar in Paris is a stark reminder to employees that their actions outside work can impact upon their employment. Although Galliano was not at work or at a work event when the incident is alleged to have happened, Christian Dior has reacted quickly … Continue Reading
