Our monthly employment law round up.
Menopause in the workplace
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health and Social Care provided an update on the UK Government's work to improve menopause care on 27 October. It was noted that provision of a supportive environment was crucial with a number of organisations, including the CIPD producing helpful guidelines on how to achieve that. Responses were encouraged to the UK Government's consultation on flexible working and a roundtable with organisations, including the British Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of Small Businesses, is to take place with further recommendations to follow. In England, a new menopause taskforce is to be established to encourage a better approach to improved support for those going through the menopause.
Portuguese employers risk fine for contacting employees outside working hours
Portugal is introducing a range of measures to improve work-life balance following the expansion of home working during the pandemic. As well as a ban on employers texting or emailing staff outside working hours, parents are to be allowed to work at home indefinitely until their child turns eight without prior approval from bosses. Employers may also have to contribute to higher household bills incurred as a consequence of being home-based.
Real living wage increases to 9.90 per hour
Increases to the real living wage have been announced with the new hourly rate being 9.90 (previously 9.50), or 11.05 (previously 10.85)...
A British science journalist-turned-attorney who initiated a lawsuit that saw a Harvard University-affiliated cancer centre pay $15 million (11 million) to settle claims of alleged data misreprese...