An employer has been held liable for not preventing and tackling an employee’s sexual harassment of another employee contrary to the employer’s obligations under the Danish Equal Treatment Act. Furthermore, the employer had breached the Equal Treatment Act by dismissing the employee when she informed the employer of the sexual harassment. |
European Employment Law Cases
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Editorial |
EU dismissal protection: for better and for worse |
Authors | Zef Even |
Case Reports |
2022/12 Liability for not preventing and tackling sexual harassment (DK) |
Keywords | Gender Discrimination |
Authors | Christian K. Clasen |
AbstractAuthor's information |
Case Reports |
2022/13 Transfer of employee and direct discrimination on ground of religious beliefs (FR) |
Keywords | Religious Discrimination |
Authors | Claire Toumieux and Susan Ekrami |
AbstractAuthor's information |
The French Supreme Court has held that an employer was not guilty of direct discrimination on the ground of religious beliefs by imposing on an employee of Hindu faith a disciplinary transfer to a new working site, when such transfer was justified by an essential and determining professional requirement. |
Case Reports |
2022/14 Initial incomplete notice to unions renders collective redundancy unfair (IT) |
Keywords | Collective Redundancies |
Authors | Ornella Patanè |
AbstractAuthor's information |
The Italian Supreme Court has held a collective redundancy to be unfair because the first information notice to the unions was incomplete and did not mention the reasons why the employees to be dismissed could not be assigned to another site of the company. |
Case Reports |
2022/15 Alternation of fixed-term contracts and replacement contracts should give rise to a contract of indefinite duration after two years says the Constitutional Court (BE) |
Keywords | Fixed-Term Work |
Authors | Gautier Busschaert |
AbstractAuthor's information |
Belgian law provides that replacement contracts that exceed two years become contracts of indefinite duration. The same rule applies for fixed-term contracts but not for the case where the employer alternates these two types of contracts. In the case at hand, the Belgian Constitutional Court considered Belgian law to be discriminatory on this point and invited the legislator to put an end to this difference of treatment. Awaiting this legislative change, labour courts and tribunals should consider alternation of fixed-term and replacement contracts for more than two years as a contract of indefinite duration. |
Case Reports |
2022/16 A transfer of undertaking can be established in the absence of a contractual agreement between the transferor and the transferee and even if the transferee concludes new employment contracts with the employees (RO) |
Keywords | Transfer |
Authors | Andreea Suciu and Teodora Manaila |
AbstractAuthor's information |
The Ploiești Court of Appeal has ruled that although the applicable national legislation in case of transfers of undertakings requires a transfer of ownership, the ECJ case law prevails and that, in the absence of a contractual agreement, a transfer of undertaking can be established even if the transferee concludes new employment contracts with the employees. |
Case Reports |
2022/17 Desperately awaited by the German jurisdiction: A landmark ruling by the ECJ concerning statutory leave law (GE) |
Keywords | Annual Leave |
Authors | Paul Schreiner and Nina Stephan |
AbstractAuthor's information |
Once again, the German jurisdiction has had to deal with the question of whether the expiration of leave entitlements is possible if the employee has no prior information about such leave from the employer, even if the employee was not able to continue working and therefore not able to take leave until the end of the employment relationship. A decision that the German Federal Labour Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht, ‘BAG’) still does not want to take without a landmark decision of the ECJ. |
Case Reports |
2022/18 Breach of working time provisions and automatic harm sustained by an employee (FR) |
Keywords | Working Time |
Authors | Claire Toumieux and Susan Ekrami |
AbstractAuthor's information |
The French Supreme Court has held that exceeding the maximum weekly working time causes automatic harm to the employee which should be repaired. |
Case Reports |
2022/19 Deliveroo riders and Uber drivers qualify as employees: modern employer’s authority in platform work (NL) |
Keywords | Employment Status |
Authors | Diede Elshof |
AbstractAuthor's information |
In 2021, Dutch courts held that both Deliveroo riders and Uber drivers are employees. Interestingly, the District Court of Amsterdam considered there to be a ‘modern relationship of authority’ between Uber drivers and Uber. |
Rulings |
ECtHR 5 May 2022, app. no. 31163/13 (Vlahov – v – Croatia), Unions, Other Fundamental RightsGoran Vlahov – v – Croatia |
Keywords | Unions, Other Fundamental Rights |
Abstract |
Imprisonment following refusal to accept workers as trade union members violates Article 11 of the Convention. |
Rulings |
ECtHR 9 June 2022, app. no. 49270/11 (Savickis and Others – v – Latvia), Race, Nationality DiscriminationSavickis and Others – v – Latvia, Latvian case |
Keywords | Race, Nationality Discrimination |
Abstract |
Very weighty reasons for exclusion of employment periods accrued in other former USSR states in state pension calculation for permanently resident non-citizens, in contrast to Latvian citizens: no violation of art. 14 ECHR |
Rulings |
ECtHR 23 June 2022, app. no. 19750/13 (Grosam – v – Czech Republic), Fair TrialGrosam – v – Czech Republic, Czech case |
Keywords | Fair Trial |
Abstract |
Disciplinary proceedings for enforcement officer were unfair as the selection of disciplinary chamber members was not transparent. |
Rulings |
ECJ 19 May 2022, case C-33/21 (Ryanair DAC), Social Insurance |
Keywords | Social Insurance |
Abstract |
Flight and cabin crew not covered by E101 certificates who work for 45 minutes per day in an airline’s premises intended to be used by staff located at Bergamo airport and who are on board that airline’s aircraft the rest of the time, are subject to Italian social security legislation. |
Rulings |
ECJ 12 May 2022, case C-426/20 (Luso Temp), Temporary Agency Work, Paid Leave |
Keywords | Temporary Agency Work, Paid Leave |
Abstract |
Temporary agency workers are entitled to the same amount of days of annual leave and holiday pay as ‘normal’ workers. An English translation is not available, but the ECJ’s summary in English is available here: https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2022-05/cp220082en.pdf. |
Rulings |
ECJ 2 June 2022, case C-587/20 (HK/Danmark and HK/Privat), Age DiscriminationLigebehandlingsnævnet, acting on behalf of A – v – HK/Danmark and HK/Privat, Danish case |
Keywords | Age Discrimination |
Abstract |
Setting an age limit for eligibility as a sector convenor constitutes age discrimination and is in breach of Directive 2000/78. |
Rulings |
ECJ 16 June 2022, case C-328/20 (Commission – v – Austria (Indexation des prestations familiales)), Social Insurance, Free MovementEuropean Commission and intervening parties – v – Republic of Austria and intervening parties, Austrian case |
Keywords | Social Insurance, Free Movement |
Abstract |
It is not allowed to vary benefits of workers with children in another member state depending on the price level in the country of residence of the children. |
Rulings |
ECJ 16 June 2022, case C-577/20 (Sosiaali- ja terveysalan lupa- ja valvontavirasto), Free Movement, Working PermitA – v – Sosiaali- ja terveysalan lupa- ja valvontavirasto, Finnish case |
Keywords | Free Movement, Work and Residence Permit |
Abstract |
In principle, the competent authorities of the host member state which can admit someone to a regulated occupation must trust the validity of a certificate provided by an authority of the home state. Only if there are serious doubts, they can ask the authorities of the home member state to reconsider the certificate. |
Rulings |
ECJ 22 June 2022, case C-534/20 (Leistritz), Privacy, Unfair DismissalLeistritz AG – v – LH, German case |
Keywords | Privacy, Unfair Dismissal |
Abstract |
A Member State can impose rules for the dismissal of data protection officers which are stricter than those of the GDPR, but they may not undermine the GDPR’s objectives. |
Rulings |
ECJ 30 June 2022, case C-625/20 (INSS (Cumul de pensions d’invalidité professionnelle totale)), Social Insurance, Gender DiscriminationKM – v – Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS), Spanish case |
Keywords | Social Insurance, Gender Discrimination |
Abstract |
A Spanish anti cumulation provision for occupational invalidity pensions from the same scheme favours male workers without any objective justification and hence constitutes gender discrimination. |
Rulings |
ECJ 30 June 2022, case C-192/21 (Comunidad de Castilla y León), Fixed-Term WorkMr Clemente – v – Comunidad de Castilla y León (Dirección General de la Función Pública), Spanish case |
Keywords | Fixed-Term Work |
Abstract |
It is not allowed to not take account of services provided as an interim civil servant (hence on a fixed-term basis) when consolidating the status of a career civil servant. |
Rulings |
ECJ 30 June 2022, case C-63/21 P (Camerin/Commission), MiscellaneousLaure Camerin – v – European Commission, EU case |
Keywords | Miscellaneous |
Abstract |
Appeal dismissed against claim for damages for pension deductions because of seizure. |
Pending Cases |
Case C-57/22, Paid LeaveYQ – v – Ředitelství silnic a dálnic ČR, reference lodged by the Nejvyšší soud České republiky (Czech Republic) on 28 January 2022 |
Keywords | Paid Leave |
Pending Cases |
Case C-57/22, Work and Residence PermintEuropean Commission – v – Czech Republic, action brought on 4 February 2022 |
Keywords | Work and Residence Permit |
Pending Cases |
Case C-112/22, Free Movement, Social InsuranceCU, reference lodged by the Tribunale di Napoli (Italy) on 17 February 2022 |
Keywords | Free Movement, Social Insurance |
Pending Cases |
Case C-113/22, Gender Discrimination, Social InsuranceDX, Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS) – v – Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social, reference lodged by the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Galicia (Spain) on 17 February 2022 |
Keywords | Gender Discrimination, Social Insurance |
Pending Cases |
Case C-132/22, Free MovementBM, NP – v – Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, reference lodged by the Tribunale Amministrativo Regionale per il Lazio (Italy) on 25 February 2022 |
Keywords | Free Movement |
Pending Cases |
Case C-134/22, Collective RedundanciesMO – v – SM, as trustee of G GmbH, reference lodged by the Bundesarbeitsgericht (Germany) on 1 March 2022 |
Keywords | Collective Redundancies |
Pending Cases |
Cases C-184/22 and C-185/22, Gender Discrimination, Part Time WorkIK – v – KfH Kuratorium für Dialyse und Nierentransplantation e.V.; CM – v – KfH Kuratorium für Dialyse und Nierentransplantation e.V., reference lodged by the Bundesarbeitsgericht (Germany) on 10 March 2022 |
Keywords | Gender Discrimination, Part Time Work |
Pending Cases |
Cases C-190/22, Fixed-Term WorkBL – v – Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri, reference lodged by the Ufficio del Giudice di pace di Rimini (Italy) on 7 March 2022 |
Keywords | Fixed-Term Work |
Pending Cases |
Cases C-190/22, Paid LeaveFI – v – Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, reference lodged by the Bundesarbeitsgericht (Germany) on 11 March 2022 |
Keywords | Paid Leave |
Pending Cases |
Cases C-206/22, Paid LeaveTF – v – Sparkasse Südpfalz, reference lodged by the Arbeitsgericht Ludwigshafen am Rhein (Germany) on 17 March 2022 |
Keywords | Paid Leave |
Pending Cases |
Cases C-244/22, Temporary Agency Work, TransferNQ – v – Mara-Tóni Bt., reference lodged by the Fővárosi Törvényszék (Hungary) on 6 April 2022 |
Keywords | Temporary Agency Work, Transfer |
Pending Cases |
Cases C-218/22, Paid LeaveBU – v – Comune di Copertino, reference lodged by the Tribunale di Lecce (Italy) on 24 March 2022 |
Keywords | Paid Leave |
Pending Cases |
Cases C-248/22, Free MovementZK and MS – v – The Minister for Justice and Equality, reference lodged by the High Court (Ireland) on 8 April 2022 |
Keywords | Free Movement |