A former employee of the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC), Zaffir Hakim, has recently been successful in his race discrimination case against the STUC, with the assistance of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Ultimately, the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that Mr Hakim had been unfairly dismissed by STUC, after 11 years of service working under a Scottish Government-funded scheme. This scheme was actually targeting workplace racism, although ultimately decided to allow Mr Hakim’s white colleague to stay on in a similar role.

Zaffir Hakim started work under the STUC in 2003, working as a Development Officer for the One Workplace Equal Rights Project, which was launched by STUC in order to “challenge discrimination in the workplace and promote good practice”. Although, Mr Hakim actually made several complaints regarding racial discrimination under STUC, stating:

According to the Office for National Statistics, Autumn is the most popular season to give birth, therefore it is important that all expectant mothers are aware of their maternity rights.

Most expectant mothers know that they are entitled to 12 months maternity leave, taking in to consideration their length of service. However, many do not know that they can actually share their time off with their partner, if they wish to do so, in accordance with the shared parental leave regulations.

This is becoming more common, with a 50% rise in women with children who work, and therefore they may want to return to work before the end of the 12 months, which will allow their partner to extend their leave.

Essex-based Dental nurses, Billie-Jo Janes and Jessica Rowley have recently been awarded a total of £16,000 for unfair redundancy, due to their inability to work full-time, as working mothers.

In July 2017, the two women were informed of their redundancy, with the explanation that their employer had no need for part-time workers, and as working mums they could not adhere to the dental practices demands. 

Both Miss Janes and Miss Rowley contacted their union, Unite, working together to bring the surgery to an Employment Tribunal, after being offered insufficient compensation from the surgery.

The employer was taken to an employment tribunal for unfair dismissal regarding gender discrimination, where Judge Foxwell ruled that the dental practice was guilty of “unlawful indirect sex discrimination”.

The Employment Tribunal awarded a pay-out each of £6,000 plus £498 interest for “injury to feelings for unlawful indirect sex discrimination”, with added payments for statutory rights and loss earnings, resulting in a total of £7,500 awarded to Miss Jane, 26 and £8,159 awarded to Miss Rowley, 29.

After the ruling, Miss Rowley, who has now found a position at another dental surgery, stated: