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Manchester hairdresser wins ‘landmark’ lawsuit for people working in the beauty industry
This is amazing!
A self-employed hairdresser has won the right to claim for notice, holiday and redundancy pay in a ‘landmark case’ for the beauty industry.
Megan Gorman, 26, was a self-employed hairdresser at a Terence Paul salon in Manchester city centre, however, she argued the working practices made her ‘effectively an employee’.
Her lawyers claimed the successful judgment of an employment tribunal hearing could affect thousands of people who work in the beauty industry.
Gorman had to work set hours in the salon, which also kept 67% of her takings. She worked their for six years until it closed in 2019.
Gorman had an Employment Tribunal hearing in Manchester where the judgment went in her favour according to her lawyers.
The case furthers legal decisions on ‘worker’ status, as with the case in Uber drivers which is currently on appeal from the Court of Appeal.
The judgement could affect people in the beauty industry as well as wider industry’s such as dentists, hygienists, delivery drivers and bookkeepers.
Judith Fiddler, of Direct Law & Personnel said: “The whole hairdressing industry and many others will be affected by this decision.
“The significance is huge, as many people who think they are self-employed are actually not.
“The influence of the Pimlico Plumbers and Uber drivers’ cases has changed the climate.
“Our case was that Meghan was treated as an employee and was not genuinely self-employed, and therefore should benefit from employment law rights.
“At all times she was treated as an employee and her bosses exercised tight control over all aspects of her work.”
Industry figures explain that of the some 330,000 people who work in the beauty industry, 80% are women.
Ms Gorman joined Terence Paul in 2013 as a 19-year-old on a contract headed ‘Independent Contract for Services’ as a self-employed hairdresser.
She is now in pursue of further claims against the company including unfair and wrongful dismissal, sexual discrimination and a failure to provide a written contract of employment, as well as claiming for holiday pay, according to her lawyers.
Terence Paul claim the company’s self-employed hairdressers had control over their hours, days they worked, shift times, treatments they could give and holidays.
Gorman disputed this explaining she had to work 9am-6pm Monday to Saturday with no control over pricing or discounts. She also had to use company products, conform to Terence Paul’s dress standards and had to inform the salon if she wanted time off.
She explained: “They clearly had the power and control. I did not believe it could be considered I was in business on my own account.
“I had thought for some time that the contract they had in place was not right, saying I was self-employed when they had all those rules in place.”
TUC senior employment rights officer Tim Sharp said: “This is yet another case of the courts calling out false self-employment.
“The Government needs to use its planned Employment Bill to ensure that everyone gets full rights unless the boss can prove they are genuinely self-employed.”
This news comes following claims that the beauty industry has been abandoned by the government throughout coronavirus lockdown and that those industries where employment is highest among women have been hit the hardest.
The government failed to show an understanding of what gender played in the crisis and failed to produce an equality impact assessment for any of its new policies.
The beauty sector – which has links to 590,000 wider jobs and contributed £7bn in tax revenue in 2018 – was poked fun at by Prime Minister Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions. Including the reopening of barbers and beard trimming services but no facials, eyebrow or eyelash treatments which have since been allowed to continue after the ‘Why Can’t I Work’ campaign.
News
Man arrested after mum pushing pram stabbed and killed in broad daylight
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder
Police have arrested a 25-year-old man wanted for the fatal stabbing of a woman while she was pushing her baby in a pram in Bradford.
Police have arrested a suspect, following the murder of Kulsuma Akter, 27. Akter was stabbed several times in the Westgate area of Bradford city centre on Saturday afternoon.
The mother was rushed to hospital, where despite the best efforts of medics, she sadly succumbed to her injuries. Her baby was unharmed in the incident.
It has also emerged that suspect, Habibur Masum, was on bail for assaulting and threatening to kill her at the time of the attack.
Masum was conditionally bailed by Manchester Magistrates’ Court in November, despite prosecutors objecting to his release, it is understood.
Court documents show Masum, whose address was listed as Oldham, Greater Manchester, was charged with assaulting Ms Akter on November 23rd and threatening to kill her on November 24th.
Both incidents are alleged to have happened in Greater Manchester. Police had previously confirmed the couple were known to each other but have not confirmed their relationship.
Masum attended a hearing on November, 27th 2023, where he pleaded not guilty to both offences and was ordered not to contact Ms Akter, it is understood.
His bail conditions also prevented him from contacting a second person, or visiting a particular address.
Greater Manchester Police has said it is supporting West Yorkshire Police with the ongoing murder investigation.
Both forces have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct watchdog over previous contact with Masum and Ms Akter.
Detective Superintendent Jude Holmes, from GMP Oldham district, said: “We share the shock and concern that our communities feel in the wake of this tragic incident, and our thoughts are with Kulsuma Akter’s family at this truly distressing time.
“Habibur Masum is wanted by West Yorkshire Police on suspicion of murder. Due to his links to Greater Manchester, we have our specialist officers following several lines of enquiry to locate him.
“I urge members of the public to remain vigilant, and if you have any information on his whereabouts, call 999 as a matter of urgency.
“Due to previous police contact with Habibur Masum and Kulsuma Akter, Greater Manchester Police has made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”
Police have arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of murder. A 23-year-old man was also arrested in Cheshire on suspicion of assisting an offender.
News
Hunt for murder suspect after mum pushing pram killed in broad daylight
It is not clear whether is Masum is armed as police warn not to approach him
Police are searching for a man from Oldham after a mum was stabbed to death in Bradford while pushing her baby in a pram.
Habibur Masum, 25, is wanted over the attack which took place in the Westgate area of Bradford at 3.21pm on Saturday (April 6th).
The victim, a 27-year-old woman, suffered multiple stab wounds and was taken to hospital where she sadly died of her injuries, West Yorkshire Police said.
The force also confirmed the baby was not harmed in the attack as the public is warned not to approach Masum.
It is understood Masum was known to the victim although police have not confirmed their relationship at this time. A knife was found at the scene but it is unclear if he is armed.
Masum was pictured on CCTV wearing a grey hooded, zip-up coat with three large horizontal lines of grey, white and black on it, grey tracksuit bottoms with a black logo and burgundy trainers.
A witness also reported seeing him wearing a grey hoodie with the hood up shortly after the incident on Westgate, at the junction with Drewton Road.
Masum is from Oldham and is believed to have links to Burnley and Chester. He is described as an Asian man, of slim build.
Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson said: “We have had significant resources following up a number of lines of inquiry to locate Habibur Masum but at this time his whereabouts are unknown.
“I would urge anyone who does see him not to approach him but to call 999 immediately.”
She said the death of such a young woman in the ‘most awful circumstances’ will ‘understandably cause concern in the local community’.
Detective Chief Inspector Atkinson Added: “I would like to reassure the wider public that we are working tirelessly to investigate this horrendous crime and bring the person responsible to justice.
“To help us with this we are urging anyone who was in the area who may have dashcam footage or seen or heard something, however small it may seem, to please come forward.
“A scene remains in place which includes some road closures and I thank the public for their patience while we conduct our enquiries.”
News
Man arrested in murder investigation after human torso found in Salford nature reserve
A man in his 20s is being questioned by police
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a human torso was found wrapped in plastic in a nature reserve in Salford.
As detectives continue to investigate the discovery of human remains found by a passerby on Thursday, April 4th, a man in his 20s from Salford was taken into custody on Saturday evening for questioning, Greater Manchester Police say.
DNA testing is being carried out to determine the identity of the victim, who is believed to be a male ‘likely to be aged older than 40’ and ‘has only been deceased for a matter of days’, officers say.
GMP says it is conducting a thorough search of the area by utilising local officers and specialist branches including search dogs and assistance from underwater search teams, to help comb the site.
The force says although it has ‘not found anything else that is of interest to the investigation’, ‘work will not stop’ until it is certain the area has been thoroughly searched.
Chief Superintendent Tony Creely, of GMP’s Salford district, said: “The arrest we made yesterday evening is an important step for our investigation, but we must keep an open mind and a big part of this is speaking to anyone who may have crucial information.
“As we continue to work in the area, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the public for their concern and cooperation so far, and we are mindful this is a disturbing incident for the local community, but I can assure you that since we were made aware, we’ve been pursuing every single line of enquiry to help us find out what has happened.
“I cannot stress the importance of people contacting us with information if they know anything at all. You may have information that you don’t feel is of importance, but it could be to us, please pass it on, it could be the key piece of information we need to progress this investigation.”
Anyone who thinks they may have witnessed something suspicious in the Kersal Dale area over the last few days is urged to call GMP on 101 and quoting log number 2695 of April, 4th 2024.
A dedicated portal for anyone to submit images or video footage which could help police can be found HERE.
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