THE EZHR WEEKLY UPDATE 5th February 2024
In this week’s EZHR weekly update, we talk about all things…
✅ Employment Tribunal Fees
✅ Flexible Working Applications
Employment Tribunal Fees
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has started a consultation on the proposal to reintroduce fees when Employment Tribunal applications are made.
They have confirmed that they are considering a modest fee of £50 and it appears that this would work in the same way as before.
Given the backlog of cases, it would seem that the government are taking steps to discourage people but given the value of the fee it would seem unlikely that many would see this as prohibitive.
You can find the full details here https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/introducing-fees-employment-tribunals-eat,
The MoJ has set a deadline of 25th March 2024 for responses to the consultation and we’d expect some feedback during the summer.
Flexible Working Applications
In a landmark ruling a manager working for the Financial Conduct Authority has received their flexible working application, to work fully remotely, turned down.
The applicant managed a team and requested to work entirely “remotely”.
She had been working from home since the beginning of the Covid pandemic and was aware that she would be expected to return to the office for part of her working week at a point in the future.
The Financial Conduct Authority refused her application and she suggested that they had sufficient technology to support the request.
The concern from her employers was around her ability for face-to-face collaboration with her team (14 direct staff and another 10 with indirect responsibility) and peers, this negatively impacts the business and those who rely on her.
While the ruling does not create a precedent similar request must be taken on their merits and decided on a case-by-case basis. It does lead employers to push back on fully remote applications if the nature of your work is on-site or hybrid. Managers' roles are as much about physical interactions and will be welcome for many employers.
If you have any questions on these issues, please don't hesitate to contact us at info@ezhr.uk or 0161 843 5678.
