Employment Law - Are you being bullied or treated unfairly at work?
The BBC News UK recently reported on a case regarding an employer’s behaviour towards a member of staff who believed they were being treated unfairly and consequently resigned. The Employment Tribunal found in the employee’s favour and awarded her £41,000.00.
Please click the link for details as reported by the BBC. NHS nurse left out of tea round given £41,000 payout - BBC News
Janine Bryant, a partner in in the Dispute Resolution/General Litigation Team, commented as follows :
“This is an interesting case looking at whether the employer’s actions constituted constructive unfair dismissal and whether Mrs Hamilton’s resignation was justified, based on the Respondent’s behaviour. I am sure there are many employers who might think that arguments about inclusion on the tea round and people being ignored are not something that they need to get involved in but a failure to do so can cause significant problems. The employer in this case accepted that Mr Nayeck’s behaviour fell short of the standards it expected, yet they did little to resolve the problem.
This case is a clear reminder that employers must ensure that they promote a good working environment for their employees and should seek to address any grievances raised by their employees, no matter how insignificant they may appear. The series of failures by the employer, together with the behaviour of Mr Nayeck resulted in significant distress for Mrs Hamilton to the point where she could no longer work in that environment and resigned. The Tribunal absolutely agreed, resulting in a large financial burden for the employer”.
Janine Bryant is a member of the Sub-Solent Employment Lawyers' Association. For an initial no obligation assessment of your case, please call Janine on 01202 292424.
