Media Coverage produces several articles every month featuring recent tribunal and court cases, together with the latest developments relating to Employment Law. All the articles are targeted at your clients rather than other lawyers and are written in a BBC/quality newspaper style.
All our articles are ready for you to use without any additions or alterations. However, you can also add your own comments to them if you wish as a way of putting your name in front of clients and emphasising your expertise in Employment Law.
It’s very simple to do because we send the articles to you as word documents making them easy to edit and amend.
Take a look at this example from a recent case before the Supreme Court. This is typical of the articles we send out each month. You could use it exactly as it is or amend it to your requirements. Scroll down to see how you could add your comments at the end.
School entitled to sack teacher over relationship with sex offender
The Supreme Court has ruled that a school was within its rights to dismiss its headteacher after she failed to disclose her relationship with a convicted sex offender.
In Reilly v Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, the court heard evidence that the headteacher, Reilly, had a close relationship with a man called Selwood, although they were not cohabiting.
He was sentenced to a community order and a sexual offences prevention order for making indecent images of children. He was also forbidden from having unsupervised access to children under 18.
The school considered that Reilly had put the children’s safety at risk by failing to disclose her association with a sex offender and she was dismissed for gross misconduct.
She claimed that she had taken advice from various quarters before deciding that she was under no obligation to disclose the information. She maintained that position throughout the disciplinary process and brought proceedings for unfair dismissal.
The Employment Tribunal found that although there were some deficiencies in the dismissal process, there was a 90% chance that she would have been fairly dismissed if proper procedures had been followed.
It considered that she was 100% at fault and should receive no compensation.
The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which upheld that decision.
Giving judgment, Lady Hale, said Reilly had a duty to assist and inform the school’s governing body in fulfilling its safeguarding duties.
She added: “There are many ways in which Mr Selwood, should he choose to do so, might have used his friendship with Ms Reilly to gain access to the school’s pupils: not only through being allowed to visit the school but also through finding out information about the pupils.
“Reporting the connection would have enabled a serious discussion to take place about how those risks might be avoided. There is no reason to think that it would have been a resigning matter. Issues could have been identified and solutions found. It is the absence of that full and frank disclosure and discussion that was the cause for serious concern.”
Lord Wilson said Reilly’s non-disclosure amounted to a breach of duty and so it was reasonable for the school to dismiss her. He added: “Her refusal to accept that she had been in breach of duty suggested a continuing lack of insight, which, as it was reasonable to conclude, rendered it inappropriate for her to continue to run the school.”
Add your comments…or any details you like
You can use the article just as we’ve written it, or you can add your own thoughts, perhaps pointing out that the case highlights an issue that employers should consider.
It need only be a few sentences to reinforce your standing as an expert on employment law.
For example, you may choose to say something like: “The school’s case was helped by the fact that the headteacher’s job description specified the duty to assist the governing body in ensuring pupil safety. It also stated that there would be disciplinary consequences for failing to report relevant information.
“Employers may wish to ensure that their employment contracts include key points relating to employee duties and clarify the disciplinary provisions available for failure to comply.”
Or, of course, you may take a completely different approach. It’s entirely up to you. Our articles enable you to show your expertise through your comments, without the effort of having to write up a complicated case in a way non-lawyers can easily understand.
You can comment on one or two, or all of them…or use them just as they are. It’s entirely up to you.
Once you’ve added your comments, you can publish the article on your website and then promote it in your email newsletter or on social media. It will reinforce your status as an expert who analyses the meaning of legal developments for clients.
Read more about our employment law news articles