See if you had your finger on the employment law pulse in 2006 with our annual quiz.
1. Why is a 6′ 7″ call centre worker suing his employer?
a) He kept banging his head on the employer’s low ceilings.
b) All of his co-workers were 5’10” or less. This led to him feeling excluded and being absent from work due to stress.
c) He hurt his back stooping over his desk.
d) The telephone headset he was required to wear was not big enough for his larger than average head.
2. In March 2006, a deputy head teacher claimed that she was victimised, harassed and bullied because she was a woman. What did she claim in particular?
a) The blackboards in the classrooms were positioned too high for a woman of average height to reach.
b) The two male joint deputy heads of her school were given new ‘executive’ chairs without having to ask.
c) She was repeatedly assigned to teach more unruly classes than her male counterparts.
d) She was told that her high-heeled shoes were provocative and inappropriate for the classroom.
3. In October 2006, who was ruled by the Employment Appeal Tribunal to have the right to claim unfair dismissal?
a) Ministers of religion.
b) A member of the crew of a fishing vessel who is paid via a share in the vessel’s profits.
c) Persons engaged in the police service.
d) Members of the Armed Forces.
4. In the case of Johal v Associated Transport Services Limited t/a Initial City Link & others (Employment Tribunal, 10 May 2006), the claimant and his legal representative were held jointly and severally liable for all of the respondent’s costs. Why?
a) Because the claimant was a vexatious litigant and his representative had acted for him on several past occasions in pursuit of vexatious claims.
b) The claimant’s representative admitted that he and the claimant had lied, and that the claimant’s claims were without merit.
c) The employment tribunal found that the claimant had lied because of misguided advice from his representative.
5. A former male student nurse won a claim for sex discrimination against the NHS after arguing he was treated differently from female nurses. What was his complaint?
a) He was not treated with respect by doctors, who he alleged regarded nursing as a stereotypically female vocation.
b) Male nurses were not given separate locker and changing facilities from those used by their female counterparts.
c) He was repeatedly passed over for promotion in favour of female nurses.
d) Only male trainees were required to be chaperoned when intimate procedures were carried out on female patients.
6. A postman who was fired for taking a week off work was awarded a five-figure sum for unfair dismissal. Why had he taken a week off work?
a) To care for his sick dog.
b) To grieve for his dead dog.
c) To take his sick dog for veterinary treatment.
d) To take care of his dog’s new puppies.
7. An employee of British Airways has lost her appeal against the company’s refusal to let her wear what in the workplace?
a) A skull and crossbones pendant.
b) A yin and yang sign.
c) A Scientology symbol.
d) A crucifix.
8. A Muslim teaching assistant who was suspended for refusing to remove her veil during lessons was awarded £1,100 by an employment tribunal for what?
a) Direct religious discrimination.
b) Indirect religious discrimination.
c) Injury to feelings.
d) Sex discrimination.
9. Helen Green won damages after alleging that she had suffered a four-year bullying campaign at her employer. She described one incident as follows: “I was walking from my desk over to the stationery cupboard” and a colleague was “[blank] with every step I made”. What was the colleague doing?
a) Blowing raspberries.
b) Shouting abuse.
c) Flicking rubber bands.
d) Attempting to trip her up.
Compiled by Rebecca Peedell, lawyer with City law firm Macfarlanes
And here are the answers
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