Weekly Issue 661

Viral sickness

In response to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on workers, the government has announced that statutory sick pay will be paid from the first day of sickness, as opposed to the fourth day under current rules (...).

Foreign vessels

Although it is direct sex discrimination to refuse to employ a woman because of her sex, the Employment Appeal Tribunal held in Walker v Wallem Shipmanagement Ltd and anor that it was not illegal to do so if the job in question was on a foreign registered vessel sailing outside UK waters (...).

Immune from claims

The Employment Appeal Tribunal has held in Basfar v Wong that foreign diplomats based in the UK can claim immunity from tribunal complaints made by domestic servants on the basis that they do not fall within the exception of a “commercial activity exercised … outside … official functions” (...).