Lydia Octon-Burke
Lydia Octon-Burke
Lydia Octon-Burke
Biography
Lydia is an Associate in the Employment & Labor group. Lydia advises on contentious and non-contentious matters, acting for clients across various sectors on employment tribunal litigation and transactional matters, as well as supporting employers on day-to-day employment law issues.
Examples of recent work include defending employers in tribunal litigation, advising on TUPE implications of transactions, and conducting workplace investigations alongside the Regulatory team.
Lydia has also recently spent time on secondment at a large financial institution where she assisted with handling collective and individual redundancy situations, and advised on complex disciplinary and grievance processes and settlement negotiations, as well as ad-hoc employee relations issues.
Lydia has experience in drafting a variety of employment documentation including service agreements, consultancy agreements, settlement agreements and policies and procedures.
The Growth of Class Actions: What’s next?
Admissions
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England and Wales
Related Practice Areas
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Employment & Labor
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Investigations
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Regulation, Compliance & Advisory
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Litigation & Dispute Resolution
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Cross-border Employment Issues
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Employment Class & Collective Actions
Related Insights
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Oct 30, 2024
Autumn Budget 2024 – Key Employment Highlights
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has published her Autumn 2024 budget with the aim of “fixing the foundations of the economy and delivering change by protecting working people.” We set out a very brief summary of the employment law aspects of the budget.
Insights
Oct 24, 2024
Oct 24, 2024
Employment Rights Bill, whistleblowing, and sex-based discrimination
This week we summarise three very recent developments in employment law, one involving the Employment Rights Bill (ERB) and two new cases.
Insights
Jun 26, 2024
Jun 26, 2024
Labour’s Proposed Employment Law Reforms: Our Second Weekly Pre-election Guide
Following last week's pre-election guide on qualifying periods and statutory time-limits, we focus this week on Labour’s plan to simplify the law on employment status.
Insights
May 30, 2024
May 30, 2024
UK HR Two-Minute Monthly: May 2024
Our May update includes a case on whistleblowing where the claimant’s belief in the disclosures was questioned along with whether decision makers who knew little or nothing about the disclosures could be blamed for those who did – and a disability dismissal case where the bad behaviour/conduct of an individual, caused by a disability, may have contributed towards the dismissal. We also feature a news roundup on responses to the “Sexism in the City Report” and the Labour Party’s plans for reforming employment law if they are elected on 4 July.
Insights
Apr 29, 2024
Apr 29, 2024
UK HR Two-Minute Monthly: April 2024
Our April update includes a case on AI facial recognition software that allegedly discriminated against black people, a case where an individual carrying out a dismissal did not have enough knowledge of protected disclosures for the employer to be liable for a whistleblowing dismissal, and a case on the issue of acts of discrimination continuing over an extended period. We also feature a news roundup on generative AI in the workplace, awareness (or lack of it) of the new flexible working rules and proposed new legislation limiting the scope of NDAs with regard to criminal matters.
Insights
Mar 27, 2024
Mar 27, 2024
UK HR Two-Minute Monthly: March 2024
Our March update includes a case on whether a theatre and agency could dismiss an actor playing a lesbian role because of her devout Christian beliefs, and a case looking at whether an employee who spends virtually all her working time on a yacht outside the UK has the right to bring employment claims under UK law. We also feature a news round-up looking at the Treasury Committee’s report on “Sexism in the City”, focusing on employment practices in financial services, the plans for a four day week in summer by the creation of “4ugust”, and the government’s views and written guidance on “Kinship Care”.
Insights
Feb 28, 2024
Feb 28, 2024
UK HR Two Minute Monthly: February 2024
Our February update includes a case on the issue of whether job applicants can bring whistleblowing claims, and a case on who pays what compensation to a successful claimant. We also feature a news round-up looking at what employment law might look like under a Labour government, and new EHRC Guidance relating to menopause in the workplace.
Insights
Jan 31, 2024
Jan 31, 2024
UK HR Two Minute Monthly: January 2024
Our January update includes a new Court of Session case giving (a degree of) certainty on settlement agreements prohibiting future unknown claims and a new case on constructive dismissal focusing on the rules around delaying a resignation and affirming the employment contract. We also feature a news round-up relating to an updated EHRC Code of Practice and Guidance to accompany the new law on sexual harassment due to come into force in October, the new ACAS Code of Practice on Flexible Working (including day one requests) and changes to the Paternity/Adoption leave rules.
Insights
Dec 20, 2023
Dec 20, 2023
UK HR Two Minute Monthly: December 2023
Our December update includes a Scottish Court of Session case which holds that “women” as defined in the Equality Act 2010 includes transgender individuals with a gender recognition certificate, a case asking whether new whistleblowing claims can be brought when they were allegedly dismissed by the tribunal as well as being settled under a COT3 Agreement, and an important case on the importance of timing in redundancy consultations. We also feature a news update on new legislation coming into force in April 2024, and new draft guidance from the ICO aimed at recruitment/recruiters.