Before COVID-19 and the recent layoffs at Twitter Inc., the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, Act maintained a low profile; the act did not garner significant media attention, and cases alleging violations of the act were limited and largely routine. An explanation for this, at least in part, is that the WARN Act … Read more

Employers who put in place advantageous leave policies for those needing to shield or look after children during the pandemic lockdowns will not be liable for discrimination claims just because the policy could have been even more favourable. In Cowie v Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, employees were offered a new type of discretionary paid leave … Read more

Since the onset of the pandemic, our global employment team has been monitoring the level and changing nature of risks around the world.  Whilst some trends have accelerated i.e. whistleblowing regulations, there are some new and important developments that pose significant employment risks. We have mapped these across the major financial centers using an interactive … Read more

A recent tribunal ruling serves as a reminder that employers dealing with an employee off sick with ‘long Covid’ should carefully consider whether the individual could be disabled within the statutory definition, bearing in mind evidence that it is common for symptoms to fluctuate and that some individuals do continue to suffer for 12 months. … Read more

On 15 June 2022, the Hong Kong Legislative Council passed the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2022 (Bill), which has been introduced by the Hong Kong Government in February 2022 – during the outbreak of the fifth wave of Covid-19 in the city. The Bill will come into force on a date to be gazetted and will … Read more

In its first Covid-related unfair dismissal case, Rodgers v Leeds Laser Cutting, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has clarified when automatic unfair dismissal protection (which does not require the usual two years’ service) will be available where an employee leaves work or refuses to return in circumstances of danger which the worker reasonably believes to be … Read more

On 1 April 2022 the UK Health Security Agency published new guidance for employers in England, replacing the previous “Working safely” guidance notes (no longer available).  As set out in the Government’s Living with Covid plan (see our blog post here), Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace sets out how … Read more

Following on from the popular investigations, series (click here if you missed it) we are pleased to announce a new health & safety series, which will focus on trends, duties, and liability and mitigation strategies across the region. There has been a steady increase in regulation in the safety space across Asia, and businesses are … Read more