The Lawdown: Employment Law Podcast Series from CM Murray LLP

The Lawdown: Employment Law Podcast Series from CM Murray LLP

By CM Murray LLPBusiness
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The Lawdown: Employment Law Podcast Series from CM Murray LLP episodes

  • Episode 22: Partygate, Sue Gray Report finale, 75k sensationalist compensation award and walkout over sexist speech at the Scottish Sports Award

    We are delighted to share Episode 22 of The Lawdown, our regular podcast discussing the latest key employment, discrimination and partnership law-related news stories, and the interesting legal issues behind them.

    In this episode of The Lawdown, Partner Emma Bartlett and Senior Associates Wonu Sanda and Pooja Dasgupta delve into the legal and topical issues behind some recent headlines, including:

    1. The concluding act to the Sue Gray report and the government’s Partygate saga. We examine what the report means for the prime minister, discuss the need for leadership and accountability to drive positive change in organisations and potential next steps.

    3. A £75k Employment Tribunal award won by a casino cashier for victimisation after reportedly not being invited to a work drinks night out by colleagues. We discuss the problems with sensationalist Tribunal award reporting; unpack the claims behind the headline and reason for the high award; and explore the importance of public hearings, open justice and accurate reporting.
    4. A TV presenter walking out of an after-dinner speech at the Scottish Sports Awards over reported sexist, racist and homophobic “jokes”. We consider whether employers can be liable for third party harassment in similar cases, including the historical position and shocking past cases; action open to employees and employers to address third party harassment and proposed changes in the law; and the bystander effect and practising effective intervention.

      5. We hope you enjoy our latest episode! Please get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] if you would like any information on the topics discussed or if you would like to suggest a story for us to cover in a future episode.

      Follow The Lawdown on Twitter: @lawdownpodcast

      29 min
    5. Episode 21: Will Smith and Chris Rock's Oscar Incident, Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez’ Pregnancy Loss And The Boris Partygate Investigations

      We are delighted to share Episode 21 of The Lawdown, our regular podcast discussing the latest key employment, discrimination and partnership law-related news stories, and the interesting legal issues behind them.


      In this episode, Partner, Beth Hale, and Associates, Pooja Dasgupta, Winnifred Sarfo-Gyamfi and Yulia Fedorenko, discuss the legal issues arising from the latest news stories making the headlines, including:

      1. The infamous Will Smith and Chris Rock Oscar slap - exploring the appropriateness of the actions taken by the Academy; the way in which employers should respond to similar incidents of assault, harassment and misconduct in the workplace; and the “bystander effect”;

      2. Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez’ pregnancy loss – discussing the impact of pregnancy loss and how employers can support staff in such circumstances; existing pregnancy loss rights; and  the implementation of pregnancy loss policies; and

      3. The latest on the Partygate saga, as MPs approve the Privileges Committee inquiry into Boris Johnson’s conduct in misleading parliament - exploring how employers should deal with investigations of alleged misconduct by senior leaders; the implications of breaching ministerial codes; and practical considerations in relation to managing concurrent investigations.

      We hope you enjoy our latest episode! Please get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] if you would like any information on the topics discussed or if you would like to suggest a story for us to cover in a future episode.


      Further information on the topics covered in all our podcasts can be found at www.cm-murray.com.

      30 min
    6. Episode 20: Premiership footballer’s cat kicking misconduct, diversity and the future of barrister wigs, and harassment in the metaverse

      We are delighted to share Episode 20 of The Lawdown, our regular podcast discussing the latest key employment, discrimination and partnership law-related news stories, and the interesting legal issues behind them! 

      In this episode of The Lawdown, Partners Beth Hale and Emma Bartlett, Senior Associate Wonu Sanda and Associate Winnifred Sarfo-Gyamfi discuss the law behind some fascinating recent news stories, including:

      1. A West Ham footballer who has been reprimanded for an alarming video of him kicking his cat, and the interesting employment law-related issues, including whether an employer can impose discipline for misconduct that occurs outside the workplace; when an employer can suspend an employee, and the legal and practical considerations and constraints that apply; and the impact of serious allegations on the accused’s mental health.

      2. A call from a senior QC to abolish archaic requirements for barristers to wear wigs in the few courts where the tradition remains. We discuss the cultural insensitivity concerns and implications of court wigs for diversity and access to the legal profession, as well as the potential discrimination issues that may arise when applying blanket workplace dress codes generally.

      3. Concerning reports of harassment of avatars in the metaverse (a new developing virtual reality platform) and the questions that arise as to how employers would monitor and address these issues in a potential future metaverse workplace. We discuss new proposed digital solutions, such as a personal avatar boundary feature introduced by Meta and other companies; employer obligations in the metaverse and whether current anti-harassment legislation applies; and the potential complication of applicable law and jurisdiction in an online virtual world.

      We hope you enjoy our latest episode! Please get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] if you would like any information on the topics discussed or if you would like to suggest a story for us to cover in a future episode. 

      Follow The Lawdown on Twitter: @lawdownpodcast. 

      CM Murray is Ranked Tier 1 for Employment (Senior Executives) by Legal 500 UK 2022. ‘Brilliant employment law team...Incredibly talented knowledgeable and commercial in their very professional approach. Very able in international employment matters.' (Legal 500 UK)

      39 min
    7. Episode 19: Cutting sick pay for the unvaccinated, unpacking the 'politician's "sorry not sorry" apology', and Prince Andrew

      It’s a new year – which, for the Lawdown podcast, means we get to share more of our legal take on new and interesting stories in the news with you! So please join us for our first episode of the year where Partners Beth Hale and Emma Bartlett, Senior Associate Wonu Sanda and Associate Pooja Dasgupta kick off by discussing some of the top news stories so far, including:

      1. Cutting sick pay for unvaccinated staff who are required to isolate as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid. With the likes of Next, Ikea and Morrison's receiving hugely divided reactions to the adoption of such sick pay policies, we consider their legality, whether they are discriminatory, the benefits and risks for employers, employee relations, and whether employers have a role to play in incentivising vaccination.

      2. “Sorry not sorry”: the recently reported public apologies (or non-apologies as the case may be) of a Conservative MP, and separately Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in the House of Commons and the wider role apologies play in employment and other disputes. We explore different types of apologies and what an effective apology looks like, as well as consider the legal and reputational benefits of apologies and whether they are tantamount to an admission of legal liability.

      3. Prince Andrew’s failed attempt to prevent Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against him in the US by relying on tird-partyh waiver of claims wording contained in a $500k settlement agreement she had entered into with Jeffrey Epstein. We discuss how such waivers (which are typically found in settlement agreements) might play out in the UK context and the considerations for UK practitioners drafting similar provisions.

      We hope you enjoy our latest episode! Please get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] if you would like any information on the topics discussed or if you would like to suggest a story for us to cover in a future episode.


      Follow The Lawdown on Twitter: @lawdownpodcast.

      CM Murray is Ranked Tier 1 for Employment (Senior Executives) by Legal 500 UK 2022. ‘Brilliant employment law team...Incredibly talented knowledgeable and commercial in their very professional approach. Very able in international employment matters.' (Legal 500 UK)

      31 min
    8. Episode 18: FCA Board Diversity Proposals, Tackling Staff Burnout and the Dramatic Rise in Menopause-Related Tribunal Claims

      In our latest episode of The Lawdown, Partners Beth Hale and Emma Bartlett discuss with Associate Pooja Dasgupta:

      • The FCA’s consultation on proposals to boost disclosure of diversity on listed company Boards and Executive Committees, including the wide-ranging benefits of embracing such proposals and enforcement considerations;
      • Creative measures taken by firms to tackle staff burnout and workplace stress, including introducing unlimited leave policies and annual workplace closures, and the potential advantages and disadvantages of implementing such policies; and
      • The sharp increase in menopause-related Employment Tribunal claims in the past 4 to 5 years, including an overview of some of the interesting facts in play in some of the cases that have gone to Tribunal, and best practice tips for employers in educating themselves on the menopause and making appropriate adjustments, as necessary.

        • All 18 episodes are available on various podcast platforms – please click the links below to listen and subscribe:


        Anchor
        Apple Podcasts
        Spotify
        Google Podcasts

        We hope you enjoy our latest episode! Please get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] if you would like any information on the topics discussed or if you would like to suggest a story for us to cover in a future episode.

        Follow The Lawdown on Twitter: @lawdownpodcast.

        CM Murray is Ranked Tier 1 for Employment (Senior Executives) by Legal 500 UK 2022. ‘Brilliant employment law team...Incredibly talented knowledgeable and commercial in their very professional approach. Very able in international employment matters.' (Legal 500 UK)

        34 min
      • Episode 17: Flexible Working, Women and Work, and Facebook’s Job Advertising Fiasco

        With the world slowly trying to recover from the impact of the pandemic, in our latest episode of The Lawdown, Senior Associate Wonu Sanda and Associate Pooja Dasgupta discuss connected governmental developments and interesting media stories, including:

        1. The government’s recently launched consultation on “making flexible working the default” which is seeking views on the reform of flexible working regulations, including the headline-grabbing day one right to make a request; and the staunch objections to the potential reforms by a senior city executive, who believes staff abuse working from home.
        2. The Women and Work All Party Parliamentary Group’s recent annual report on the theme of “Women’s Wellbeing at Work”, including their key recommendations on how to build back better outcomes and opportunities for women’s careers post pandemic and the simple but effective recruitment initiative which increased women applicants for senior roles by a third.
        3. Allegations levelled at Facebook by an NGO for allowing sexist job advertising: examining the potential discrimination liability implications for service providers and the moral responsibilities owed by tech giants in an increasingly digital world.

          4. We hope you enjoy it! For more information on any of the topics discussed, or to suggest a story for us to cover, please email us at [email protected].

          You can also find all episodes of The Lawdown on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

          Follow The Lawdown on Twitter: @lawdownpodcast

          27 min
        4. Episode 16: Harassment during Lockdown and on Return to the Office

          In our latest episode of The Lawdown, Partner Beth Hale, Senior Associate Wonu Sanda and Associate Pooja Dasgupta discuss:

          · the government’s response to the consultation on sexual harassment in the workplace, published at the end of July 2021, including an overview of the government’s key commitments and their potential implications; and

          · harassment during lockdown and upon returning to the office, including the increase in online harassment whilst working remotely; the challenges faced by employers when addressing and preventing harassment in a blended/hybrid working model; and the importance of updating policies and delivering refresher training on harassment, particularly in the current climate.

          We hope you enjoy our latest episode! Please get in touch by emailing us at [email protected]if you would like any information on the topics discussed or if you would like to suggest a story for us to cover in a future episode.

          23 min
        5. Episode 15: Key Family-Friendly Policies and Developments

          In our latest episode of The Lawdown, Partner Beth Hale, Senior Associate Wonu Sanda and Associate Sophie Rothwell discuss some recently profiled innovative family-friendly policies and developments, including:

          • Progressive pregnancy loss policies - what they are and why they are necessary, and the employers who are leading the charge in this sensitive and crucial area.
          • The childcare disparity -  which recognises that women bear the brunt of childcare responsibilities, and the implications of the recent EAT case which held it was a matter about which judicial notice should be automatically taken.
          • Egg freezing policies, as recently introduced by the law firm Cooley, including the potential impact of such policies on the female and general workforce, as well as the potential risks around possible discrimination and messaging.
            • 21 min
          • Episode 14: The Relaunch – Naomi Osaka, Gary Lineker’s IR35 dispute and the potential impact of Covid electronic test and trace rules

            In this “relaunch” episode of the Lawdown, we discuss:

            • Naomi Osaka dropping out of the French Open due to mental health issues and the wider workplace implications of this story, including employer health and safety, mental health and wellbeing obligations, and potential reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010;
            • Gary Lineker’s recent dispute with HMRC over alleged non-compliance with the IR35 regime, the IR35 regime itself and some wider considerations from both a tax and employment law perspective; and
            • Entering hospitality venues after the easing of certain lockdown restrictions - the potentially discriminatory impact of Covid electronic test and trace rules on people without access to technology, and some of the key data protection considerations for businesses in adopting such technology.

              • We hope you enjoy it! For more information on any topics discussed or to suggest a story for us to cover, please email us at [email protected].

              25 min
            • Episode 13: A level results, covid quarantine and sick pay and the PPE procurement scandal
              *With apologies for the sound quality at some points, a zoom and slow broadband issue got in the way, it will be fixed for next episode.* In this episode we discuss some of the recent headlines in the news, including the potential impact on workplace diversity following the A level results disaster; the issues facing employers and employees following the expansion of quarantine rules to further countries and why low sick pay rates are a public health issue; the PPE procurement scandal and why judicial review is such a key remedy to hold governments to account and finally, how workplace misconduct could end up with a spell in jail! For more info on the PPE issue visit www.goodlawproject.org/news/the-ppe-fiasco and to get in touch with us email at [email protected].
              26 min

            About The Lawdown: Employment Law Podcast Series from CM Murray LLP

            From the publisher's feed

            Welcome to The Lawdown, CM Murray LLP's regular podcast bringing you the legal news highlights, particularly those relating to employment, discrimination and partnership law and the UK courts.

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