What is the procedure in this instance? (listen)

http://www.legaltv.co.uk/watchonline/shows/index.php?s_name=J%20and%20R%20Advice

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/travel/news/virgin-atlantic-workers-fired-over-donkey-sex-video/story-e6frezi0-1226069908990

Andy Coulson, the former editor of the News of the World, received several hundred thousand pounds from News International after starting work as the Conservative Party's Director of Communications in July 2007. Mr Coulson has been arrested on suspicion of involvement in phone hacking and bribing the police. The payments were part of his severance package, under what is known as a "compromise agreement".

Dismissed News of the World journalists may have grounds to sue
House of Lords case in 1997 set precedent for former employees to claim compensation for stigma

Journalists dismissed by the News of the World who are unable to find new jobs and fear their professional reputations have been damaged by the phone hacking scandal could have legal grounds for suing News International, according to employment specialists.
A 1997 House of Lords judgment offers a precedent that could help former employees who claim they have suffered the "stigma" of being associated with an employer that put them at a "serious disadvantage" in finding new work.
The judgment, Malik vs Bank of Credit and Commerce International, related to two former workers of BCCI who had difficulties finding positions after the firm collapsed in 1991.
"The House of Lords upheld, in principle, the right of innocent ex-employees to sue a former employer for common law damages where revelations concerning the employer's corrupt practices had damaged their prospects of future employment in the industry," one employment expert suggested. "Corruption was assumed as a hypothesis for purposes of the decision."


Such actions are rare, but the House of Lords precedent established that, in principle, employees have the right to seek compensation.
Loss of reputation, the 1997 judgment pointed out, is "inherently difficult to prove" but there was an implied mutual obligation of trust and confidence between employer and employee.
"Difficulties of proof cannot alter the legal principles which permit, in appropriate cases, such claims for financial loss caused by breach of contract being put forward for consideration," the House of Lords judgment concluded.
The prospect of such claims may encourage Rupert Murdoch's empire to think hard about how many former News of the World staff it wishes to re-employ.
There was speculation on Twitter over the weekend that at least one former member of the News of the World staff was using the microblogging site to launch a vendetta against News International.
The tweeter, using the nameExNOTWJournalist, described themselves as "Journalist w/NOTW last 3 years. Fired, alongside some very good decent people, when NOTW axed to save the skin of Rebekah Brooks! Will no longer be silent!"
ExNOTWJournalist, who attracted more than 20,000 followers after reportedly threatening to release damning new information about News International in a series of documents online, eventually decided not to go through with their apparent revenge.
Despite a tweet on Saturday night which read: "Here's the situation. x-Notw journalists +friends going to release Blog on Sat night. Inside story of NOTW. Stories we weren't able to tell," the plan was dropped, apparently following legal advice.
By 10am on Sunday, all but three of ExNOTWJournalist's tweets had been deleted and just two followers remained.
Some former members of staff may not be short of job offers: the paper's respected political team and investigative reporter Mazher Mahmood, aka the Fake Sheikh – whose regular stings against figures in the world of sport and celebrity were a staple in the News of the World – could find himself the subject of stealthy approaches from his former rivals

Lloyd's Bank are to shed 15,000 Middle Managers across the board. I can imagine the telephone banking (where its all at) will be directed thousands of miles away where customers cannot be dealt with to their satisfaction. So poor service, loss of jobs to the UK economy and more profit to the shareholders. Bring on competition from 'new' banks from Sweden !

Misconduct/Gross Misconduct. What was it?

Well over paid 'Men of the Eighties' Sky Sports Pundits committed misconduct so bad as to be dismissed. Keys (hairy hands) finally went when he was caught (on camera surprisingly) talking like an Ibiza wide boy who, whilst running a plastering business had amassed loads of, 'oodles' of, birds who he had 'smashed' and 'hung out the back of'. Even the ladies on 'Loose Women' would have been kicked out as being grossly sexually innappropriate etc etc. Apart from a PR disaster, both Keys and Gray needed sacking whatever 'dark forces' were at work at Sky. What was Gray's story to his Solicitor to suggest that it was Sky's fault (apart from employing the twat in the first place)? Misconduct can be seen in many forms but with a decent investigation allows an employer to dismiss an employee, where new evidence can be found or if considered gross, get 'em out based on what is obvious.

6 January 2011, an Employment Tribunal found that a Dinner Lady was unfairly dismissed for telling parents that their child was bullied.

Carol Hill, 61, was suspended from her £125-a-month role at Great Tey Primary School after speaking to the girl's parents in June 2009.

The legal issue is fairly obvious but she has asked for re-instatement. The Employment Tribunal can't force the school to give her job back and if they don't, the 'fine' the Tribunal can award, is capped and hardly a punishment. If they hadn't sacked her, the School wouldn't look so bad now.

".....we just know him as The Stig"

Actually we know him as Ben Collins, ex Formula 3 driver. Tends to ruin the point of the helmet and the enjoyment of sort of believing that he is some Master Driver and the semi human man of Top Gear.

What is the point of confidentiality clauses at all? Well I suppose it was good while it lasted. I mean here is the deal: You can drive pretty much any car in the world (really fast), meet loads of Celebs, get paid and work for the BBC....just don't tell anyone its you. Simples!?

The ruling of the High Court today demonstrates that the right of the individual to 'Tell his story' is more important than the Corporation's right to protect its confidence in its employees. The BBC may have failed to order an injunction but Ben Collins has supposedly breached his contract of employment and may be ordered to pay damages to the BBC. They may lose viewers because they know who he is now. Some may say that they couldn't care less but a case that demonstrates how the Courts deal with the balance between Employer and Employee and agreements of confidentiality and restrictions. More to come...

Religious Belief: The Church of Tree Hugging?

Spotlight on Religion and employee rights to protection against Discrimination. Future Seminar online!