Human Times

UK Edition

13th May 2026

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THE HOT STORY

Complaints against employment tribunal judge to be examined

Complaints of misconduct against Philip Lancaster, an employment tribunal judge in Leeds, are to be examined after a U-turn by the the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO), which had previously dismissed most of the allegations against him without examining them. The JCIO has now agreed to "reconsider" the 10 complaints, which spanned a seven-year period, after three of the complainants - who alleged they suffered bullying, intimidation, banging of the table and/or excessive interruption during employment tribunal hearings presided over by Lancaster - took legal action. Nine of the 10 complainants are female. Emily Soothill from Deighton Pierce Glynn solicitors, the lawyer for the three women, said it was "crucial that the JCIO now undertakes a proper and lawful investigation into the numerous complaints which have been raised against Judge Lancaster . . . so that public confidence in how complaints against the judiciary are investigated can start to be restored."

BBC News

PROBATION AND PAY

Two essential tools for probation and pay decisions

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WORKFORCE

University of Nottingham staff face mass redundancies

The University of Nottingham has notified 2,700 staff of potential redundancies due to a projected £85m budget deficit. The institution plans to eliminate over 600 academic and support roles, particularly in departments with low staff-to-student ratios. The University and College Union (UCU) has criticised the proposed cuts, linking them to poor financial decisions, including the failed Castle Meadow campus expansion. UCU vice-president Andreas Bieler said: "We would argue that there are a lot of homemade problems." The university insists action now is necessary for future sustainability.

The Guardian

Cambridge staff plan 10-day strike

Nearly 600 staff at the University of Cambridge are set to strike for 10 days this month as they call for a "Cambridge weighting" pay supplement. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Oxford University has introduced a local pay supplement to ensure workers can afford to live; Cambridge needs to as well." The strikes will include library, museum, finance, and IT staff.

BBC News

Chancellor's pension cap hits high earners

The Chancellor's new £2,000 cap on salary sacrifice pension contributions will primarily impact high earners, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS). Set to take effect in April 2029, the change is expected to generate £4.7 bn for the Treasury in its first year. The IFS analysis indicates that 48% of those affected are in the top 10% of earners. Households in this income bracket could lose an average of £890 annually due to increased National Insurance costs and potential wage cuts.

The Times

LEGAL

Sacked employee wins £329k for wrongful dismissal

Alan Jones, a disabled employee, has been awarded over £329,000 after being wrongfully dismissed by Pilkington UK for alleged misconduct during sick leave. Pilkington had launched a surveillance operation after reports surfaced that Jones had been spotted wearing work boots and engaging in physical activity. The Employment Tribunal found that the company acted on unfounded assumptions about Jones' condition, without adequate medical evidence. Bernie Wentworth from Thompsons Solicitors said: "This case highlights the consequences of employers making assumptions about disabled workers."

Daily Star

WORKPLACE

JP Morgan could reconsider London HQ

JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon has warned the bank could reconsider plans for its proposed £3bn London headquarters if a future Labour leader adopted a more hostile stance towards the banking sector. While praising Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves for maintaining a supportive business environment, Dimon said further tax burdens on lenders could prompt the US banking giant to rethink the development at Canary Wharf in east London, which is intended to house more than half of its 23,000 UK employees.

The Guardian

The Times

HEALTH & SAFETY

Wren joins fight against silicosis

Kitchen retailer Wren is joining a new safety scheme aimed at protecting young workers from silicosis, a deadly lung disease. The initiative, launching this week, follows The i newspaper's Killer Kitchens campaign, which highlighted the dangers of toxic dust from cutting engineered stone worktops.

The I

REGULATION

FRC fines former Carillion finance directors

Two former finance directors at Carillion have been fined and banned by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) for acting "recklessly" before the outsourcing company's collapse in 2018. Richard Adam, Carillion's former group finance director, received a £222,019 fine, while Zafar Khan, his successor, was fined £60,228. The FRC said that the men failed to ensure the accuracy of financial information, highlighting that they "acted recklessly and failed to act with integrity in connection with the preparation of accounting information." The FRC also fined three other former accountants, with penalties of £45,500, £26,000 and £26,000. Adam and Khan were fined by Financial Conduct Authority earlier this year; Adam was fined £232,800 and Khan was handed a £138,900 penalty.

Bloomberg Tax

Financial Times

The Guardian

INTERNATIONAL

Increasing gap between young and older Americans' views of the job market

A Gallup World Poll has identified a significant decline in younger Americans' confidence about their job prospects - at a time when their elders remain more upbeat. Only 43% of US individuals aged 15-34 believe it's "a good time" to find a job, compared to 64% of those aged 55 and over. This is a stark contrast to the global trend: globally, the median share of younger people who say it's “a good time” to find work in their local job market is 48%, compared with 38% among older people. “It's an incredibly new phenomenon,” Benedict Vigers of Gallup says. He notes that last year was the first time in Gallup's decades of polling that young Americans were more pessimistic about the job market than their peers in other developed countries. “Has this happened in most other advanced economies? The answer is a resounding no,” Vigers says.

Los Angeles Times

Germany seeks to rein in healthcare spending

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s ruling coalition has put together a package of cost-cutting measures that would curb drug spending, tighten reimbursements and curtail some benefits. Germany spends more than half a trillion euros ($587bn) annually on healthcare, making it by far the most expensive system on the continent. Han Steutel, president of German pharma lobby vfa, said the measures will “have the worst impact we’ve seen so far” and “The outlook for the pharmaceutical industry in Germany is set to deteriorate,” forecasting that jobs would disappear and patients could find themselves receiving “the cheapest, rather than the best” medicines. Final approval of the package is targeted before lawmakers take their summer break.

Bloomberg

Samsung union's focus on bonuses raises concerns about priorities

Members of the Samsung Electronics union are rallying for the removal of a bonus cap, as they seek performance pay tied to operating profits. With 74,000 members, the union surpasses Hyundai Motor's in size, but its focus on cash bonuses has raised concerns among some labour experts. Critics argue the focus on bonuses prioritises individual gain over solidarity, potentially harming the broader Korean labour movement. "It is different from past labour movements that prized solidarity," a senior government official observed. "It is the closest thing to a 'market-oriented union,' organized for individual gain."

Korea Joongang Daily

OTHER

Direct London to Switzerland rail link on track

Eurostar, SBB, and SNCF Voyageurs have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a direct rail connection between London and Switzerland which will be potentially operational by the 2030s. The development follows a cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing partnerships and expanding routes. Demand for international rail travel is rising due to uncertainties in aviation. Direct travel times are estimated at six hours to Zurich, five hours to Basel, and five and a half hours to Geneva.

Daily Mail

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