Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEmployment law

Legal experts warn against taking disciplinary action at work over domestic violence

by Greg Pitcher 6 Dec 2006
by Greg Pitcher 6 Dec 2006

KPMG and the NHS have been warned to tread carefully after they announced plans to sack staff over violent personal relationships that affect work.


The organisations are among 300 that have joined the government-backed Corporate Alliance Against Domestic Violence. But both have gone beyond the alliance’s policy template by threatening to discipline employees who harass their partners or ex-partners.


Legal experts have warned that employers must be wary of breaching employment law when investigating such abuse as, legally, this well-meaning defence may not be enough.


Smair Soor, employment barrister at law firm 7 Bedford Row, said: “If the sole aim of disciplining a perpetrator of domestic violence is the well-meaning objective of protecting the victim, the employer may be in difficulties.”


The NHS draft policy states that staff should be aware that conduct outside work could lead to disciplinary action because of its impact on the employment relationship. And professional services giant KPMG has warned that workers could be disciplined for using work resources to harass someone.


Soor said these cases would be permitted by law as staff could bring the company into disrepute, providing a business reason for dismissal. But Adam Turner, employment lawyer at law firm Lovells, said KPMG could still fall foul of data protection laws.


“Companies cannot randomly check through staff e-mails and phone calls,” he told Personnel Today.


“The Information Commissioner recommends that employers carry out an impact assessment of their actions and ensure there are no other options. Otherwise they are open to all sorts of criminal and civil charges.”





 

Avatar
Greg Pitcher

previous post
Giving flu vaccinations to care home staff saves residents’ lives
next post
HR told to police Christmas parties to avoid employers being sued

You may also like

Sham training of security officers exposed

3 Oct 2023

ICO publishes workplace monitoring guidance

3 Oct 2023

Consultants offer ‘olive branch’ on strikes

3 Oct 2023

Personnel Today Awards 2023 shortlist: Innovation in Recruitment...

3 Oct 2023

Top 10 HR questions September 2023: the role...

3 Oct 2023

Brand and belonging: why workplace culture is key...

3 Oct 2023

Will the Predictable Terms and Conditions Act change...

3 Oct 2023

Civil service headcount capped and EDI spending to...

2 Oct 2023

EHRC supports tribunal claim for ‘menopause discrimination’

2 Oct 2023

Almost a fifth of UK workers feel undervalued...

2 Oct 2023

  • Almost a fifth of UK workers feel undervalued – we need to solve this PROMOTED | A new report has found...Read more
  • Discover the value of CIPD accreditation PROMOTED | See how the CIPD can increase your earning potential...Read more
  • What does it mean to be an HR professional in 2024? (survey) PROMOTED | The world of HR is changing rapidly...Read more
  • The Contractor Management Mastery Pack: Everything you need to manage and pay global contractors PROMOTED | Answers to cross-border...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+