Glasgow Employment Law Blog

Research from the TUC and an independent think tank has found that worker fathers receive on average, a 21% pay rise during parenthood.

The study, which investigated more than 17,000 employees, found that full-time men who had children had a “21% wage bonus” by the time they were 42 years-old in comparison to men who did not have children at the same age. While the reasons for the rise are not known, the BBC stated that factors such as hours worked, increased efforts and positive discrimination. On average, fathers with children tended to work one hour more than those without a child.

An employment tribunal has ruled that B&Q unfairly dismissed an elderly worker from their branch in the East End of Glasgow.

Ivor Smith was sacked for gross misconduct after helping a customer with change at the firm's Parkhead branch in Glasgow in August 2014. He was dismissed as his till was open for more than three and a half minutes. However, an employment judge has ruled that he was unfairly dismissed, awarding him just under £5,000.

The Scottish Government has launched a bid to abolish employment tribunal fees after powers were transferred to Holyrood from Westminster.

The proposals, which were laid out in the government’s programme for 2015-16 will abolish employment tribunal fees once it is "clear on how the transfer of powers and responsibilities" The move will only occur after consultation “in the shape of services that can best support people’s access to employment justice as part of the transfer of the powers of Employment Tribunals to Scotland.”

The Ministry of Justice published figures 11 September 2014, which give compelling evidence that the fee system for employment tribunals acts as a barrier to access to justice. 

More than one in ten employees are willing to strike a compromise deal with their employer when they have a grievance rather than go to an employment tribunal.

The introduction of employment tribunal fees, which came into effect on 29th July, could lead to an increased ‘pay-off’ culture in the UK, an employment expert has warned.