In June 2012 I reported the decision of the Court of Appeal in Hounga v Allen. Ms Hounga had entered the UK from Nigeria on a false passport, ostensibly to visit friends, but in fact to take up work as an au pair for a Nigerian family. She was about 14 years old and was to…
Illegal working and eligibility for employment protection is another topic which seems to have been keeping the courts busy this year. Possibly a reflection of a wider issue concerning the composition of the workforce, some of the working practices which have been disclosed in these cases give serious cause for concern. In March we reported…
Last month we reported the decision in Jose v Julio (and other linked cases) concerning au pairs and the minimum wage. This month sees a new case looking at the position of a domestic worker from overseas and the extent to which she could benefit from UK employment law rights. The complications in Zarkasi v…