Ian Smith explores some recent cases that reaffirm existing employment law
The last month has felt like something of a hiatus in employment law. We are still awaiting certain cases pending before the Supreme Court and European Court of Justice, and after a rush of activity from the government before the summer recess, concerning possible amendments to legislation, that area seems to have gone to sleep temporarily. Similarly, the case law reported has not contained any major pronouncements or bombshells. On the other hand, there has been some interesting stuff reaffirming existing law but with some twists or refinements. It is into that category that the four cases chosen for this column fall.
New methods or new job?
The decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) under Slade J in Smith v London Metropolitan University [2011] IRLR 884, [2011] All ER (D) 19 (Sep) establishes a potentially important point on the employee’s implied duty of reasonable adaptation and reiterates a point on whistleblowing already made by the same judge in a case last year. The employee was appointed as
