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VWV Articles & Blogs - Legal Updates and Best Practice

Articles & Blogs

Browse our law brief articles and blogs, aimed at addressing the practical implications of the latest legal developments affecting you and your organisation.

Articles & Blogs Academies & MATs

Changes to legal duties on schools regarding pupil registration and attendance

Wednesday, 03 April 2024

At the end of February, the DfE announced a number of changes to the law relating to pupil registration and attendance.

Changes to legal duties on schools regarding pupil registration and attendance
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Articles & Blogs Academies & MATs

New guidance for mobile phone use in schools

Wednesday, 03 April 2024

The DfE published guidance in February 2024 to help schools develop and implement policies to prohibit mobile phone use, along with other similar smart technologies, throughout the school day, including during lessons, breaktimes and lunchtimes.

New guidance for mobile phone use in schools
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Articles & Blogs Academies & MATs

Developing School Land - new guidance from LocatED

Wednesday, 03 April 2024

Are you making the most of your school land? The Department for Education's property company, LocatED, recently published advice to bodies with responsibility for school land and buildings about development opportunities, including land disposals.

Developing School Land - new guidance from LocatED
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Articles & Blogs Employment

Important changes to Employment Tribunal rules

Thursday, 28 March 2024

In anticipation of the digitisation of the Tribunal process, amendments to the Employment Tribunal Rules of Procedure (ET Rules) will come into effect on 6 April 2024.

Important changes to Employment Tribunal rules
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Articles & Blogs Employment

Duty to make reasonable adjustments can include offering trial period in new role

Thursday, 28 March 2024

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that an employer failed in its duty to make reasonable adjustments, when it did not offer a disabled employee a trial period in an alternative role.

Employers can offer a trial period for their Employees in a new role as part of their duty to make reasonable adjustments
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Articles & Blogs Employment

Claimant's failure to attach 'grounds of resistance' leads to dismissal of appeal

Tuesday, 26 March 2024

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has confirmed the narrow scope of rule which allows the extension of time if an appellant makes a 'minor error' in complying with service requirements.

Claimant's failure to attach 'grounds of resistance' leads to dismissal of appeal
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Articles & Blogs Procurement Public Sector

Procurement Act 2023 - Update

Monday, 25 March 2024

As part of the Transforming Public Procurement reform, the Government sought feedback on the secondary legislation that will sit under the Procurement Act 2023 (the Act).

Procurement Act 2023 - Update
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Articles & Blogs Employment

Tribunal decision in relation to the protection of anti-Zionist beliefs under the Equality Act

Friday, 22 March 2024

In a first instance decision delivered earlier this year, a Tribunal found that a professor's anti-Zionist beliefs were protected under the Equality Act.

Tribunal decision in relation to the protection of anti-Zionist beliefs under the Equality Act
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Articles & Blogs Employment

EAT dismisses strike-out application for automatic unfair dismissal claim relating to intention to seek parental leave

Friday, 22 March 2024

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has confirmed it is not necessary to submit a formal request in order to be protected from automatic unfair dismissal, as a consequence of seeking to take parental leave.

EAT dismisses strike-out application for automatic unfair dismissal claim relating to intention to seek parental leave
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Articles & Blogs Employment

Equal pay - material factor defence could be established without direct evidence from pay decision-maker

Friday, 22 March 2024

In a recent case, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has clarified that respondents defending equal pay litigation are not required to produce evidence from a pay decision-maker.

Equal pay - material factor defence could be established without direct evidence from pay decision-maker
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Articles & Blogs Employment

Two recent EAT decisions on COVID-19-related dismissals

Friday, 22 March 2024

Two recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decisions have been handed down in detriment and dismissal claims. The claimants were dismissed after expressing concerns about working arrangements during the pandemic.

Two recent EAT decisions on COVID-19-related dismissals
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Articles & Blogs Pharma & Life Sciences

Innovation and regulation - are they going to get the balance right for UK AI?

Thursday, 21 March 2024

In February this year, the UK Government published its response to a consultation on the regulation of AI. The essential question was: "How pro-innovation are we going to be here in the UK, and does that require new legislation?"

Innovation and regulation - are they going to get the balance right for UK AI?
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Articles & Blogs Pharma & Life Sciences

Contracting for University research services - £100m claim leaves both sides dissatisfied

Thursday, 21 March 2024

In a recent case, a University was handed a £1m bill to pay and a pharmaceutical company was left with a stunted development programme - and all for a £50k pre-clinical study.

Contracting for University research services - £100m opportunity claim leaves both sides dissatisfied
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Articles & Blogs Employment

Employee with long clean disciplinary record fairly dismissed following racist incident

Wednesday, 13 March 2024

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has found that an employee was fairly dismissed for posting a racist joke to the staff intranet, despite his strong remorse over the incident.

Employee with long clean disciplinary record fairly dismissed following racist incident
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Articles & Blogs Employment

Termination of actor's contract due to views on homosexuality was not direct discrimination

Wednesday, 13 March 2024

The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has found that a claimant's contract was terminated due to adverse publicity generated by her views expressed on social media, rather than because of the views themselves.

Actor's contract terminated due to her views on homosexuality - did not suffer discrimination
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