Hello everyone and welcome back to our end of February newsletter. My name is Kyle and I am one of the solicitors here at PJH Law. I know most of you will be checking, so yes, we really are at the end of February! Hopefully it has gone as quickly for you as it has for me. This month, we are looking at a roundup of a couple of interesting cases and some proposed changes moving forward. For any of you who missed last week’s case of the week, you can find that here.

 

PJH Law News

We are delighted to share that our recent audit under the prestigious Law Society Lexcel standard was an outstanding success. We achieved a flawless result, with zero minor or major non-compliances, reflecting our unwavering commitment to excellence. Furthermore, we were recognized for six areas of good practice, underscoring our dedication to maintaining the highest standards in legal practice and client service. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and diligence of our entire team.

 

Professor Wins £1 Million for Discrimination

In February 2025, following a 13-year legal battle, an employment tribunal awarded Professor Roya Sheikholeslami over £1 million in compensation after ruling that the University of Edinburgh had unfairly dismissed her.

Professor Sheikholeslami, who joined the university in 2007 as a professor of chemical process engineering, faced delays in laboratory access due to refurbishment setbacks, leading to work-related stress and allegations of sex discrimination. A subsequent diversity review revealed a hostile environment toward female professors. The tribunal found that the university failed to support her return to work and did not explore options to extend her work permit, resulting in her dimissal in 2012.

The compensation covers past and future economic losses, interest, and procedural uplifts. While the majority of the losses are representative of her financial losses, this case helps to highlight the ability of the Tribunal to make awards over and above the cap in cases of discrimination.

 

Worker’s Rights Bill Received High Levels of Support

Some good news on a Labour suggestion for a change – the worker’s rights bill has received national support in a recent poll. Some 74% of people polled by Trades Union Congress showed support for the banning of zero-hour contracts, day-one sick pay, flexible and parental leave, and more secure unfair dismissal rights. The survey consisted of over 21,000 people and included dives into Reform strongholds to try and ensure balance.

The polling would suggest that this is one of Labour’s most popular policies. With the consultation with businesses are still ongoing, we will have to see how much of the proposed changes make it through into Parliament.

 

Labour’s Plan: Shifting Healthcare Costs to Employers?

The UK government has proposed a plan encouraging employers to fund staff health interventions, such as vaccinations and medical check-ups. Health Secretary Wes Streeting believes this approach will improve workplace well-being, reduce strain on the NHS, and lower overall healthcare costs.

While some employers welcome the initiative as a way to boost productivity, others express concern about the additional financial burden. There are also issues relating to data privacy as health care is sensitive personal data. That’s before we get to issues of free and informed consent which should be exercised in private without any third party pressure, such as an employer.

However, like most things going on at the moment in government, these proposals are subject to consultations and decisions months in the future – so we will have to see whether this goes anywhere.

 

Lighter Side of the News

This month saw the Tribunal award over £90,000 over inappropriate use of a jazz hands emoji!

Paula Miluska, who was suffering from severe morning sickness, asked to work from home on the advice of her midwife. Shortly afterwards her boss responded to the request with a message with words to the effect of ‘get stuffed’ as well as including a jazz hands emoji. For those of us not generationally inclined and to save you the effort of googling what I’m talking about – I mean this one: 🤗.

Turns out that emojis aren’t good HR policy and the Tribunal found in favour of the Claimant. A strong judicial precedent set here – now we just need a Tribunal determination on whether the facepalm emoji amounts to a breach of trust and confidence!

 

Feedback of the Week

Our clients’ satisfaction is our top priority, and we take great pride in the positive impact our team has on their experiences. Here’s what some of our clients have to say about the outstanding service provided by Liam and Kyle:

Liam’s Client G P said:

“Excellent from start to finish. Liam’s advice and guidance was on point and resolved my matter efficiently, and effectively. Would definitely recommend.”

Kyle’s Client K E said:

“A huge thank you to Kyle who guided me through a stressful time. I cannot thank Kyle enough for his tremendous support and guidance. He achieved a perfect end result for me and I am forever grateful.”