Nadine Hanson, regional operations manager at Interaction Recruitment Ltd., won compensation after a case of unfair dismissal against her employer.
The Leeds Employment Tribunal found in favor of Ms Hanson who filed a complaint after her boss Andrew Gilchrist ignored her repeatedly. The tribunal determined that Mr Gilchrist’s behavior undermined trust, which ultimately led to Ms Hanson’s resignation.
Ms Hanson was ignored three times by Mr Gilchrist, who worked in the Scunthorpe branch of the company. Sarah Davies, Employment Judge, ruled Mr Gilchrist’s actions “unreasonable”, and contributed directly to Ms Hanson’s claim of unfair termination.
Unfair Treatment and Pay Increase Dispute
Ms Hanson was a long-serving Interaction Recruitment Ltd employee, having worked at the company for over 20 years by the time Mr Gilchrist acquired it in September 2023. After the acquisition, Mr Gilchrist visited the Scunthorpe branch, where he, according to a tribunal, formed a negative opinion about Ms Hanson’s work. The tribunal found that Mr Gilchrist’s judgment was made before he fully understood her role and responsibilities.
The tensions escalated when Mr Gilchrist visited Ms Hanson on a busy day at work. She was late for a medical appointment. She greeted him when she arrived at the office but he ignored and told her to join him for a meeting. Ms Hanson tried to explain why she was late by showing her phone as proof. Mr Gilchrist shoved her phone aside.
Ms Hanson also felt undercut after learning that Mr Gilchrist gave pay increases to two of the people she directly supervises without her knowledge. After eight weeks of notice, Ms Hanson resigned in October 2023. She was off due to anxiety during her notice period but refused sick leave because Mr Gilchrist denied the legitimacy of her illness. The tribunal found that this was an unauthorised deduction.
The Tribunal’s Decisions on Unreasonable Behavior
Sarah Davies, Employment Judge, condemned Mr Gilchrist’s conduct for being designed to undermine trust and confidence in the employment relationship. Although ignoring a greeting from an employee may not be a breach of contract by itself, the tribunal found that Mr Gilchrist’s behaviour in combination with his overall conduct amounted to fundamental breach.
The court also rejected Mr Gilchrist’s testimony. It found it “wholly unconvincing”. His defence, that he couldn’t recall if he had greeted Ms Hanson because of the busy office atmosphere, was not accepted. The judge stated that Mr Gilchrist made a “snap judgment” about Ms Hanson without gathering enough data or communicating properly with her. The tribunal found that Mr Gilchrist was disengaged with Ms Hanson, and was trying to push her out of the business.
Workers Union commented on the case by saying: “Ms Hanson’s claim for unfair dismissal, unauthorised wage deduction, and compensation from Interaction Recruitment Ltd. was upheld. She is now eligible to receive compensation.” The amount of compensation has yet to be determined. The tribunal’s ruling highlights the importance to maintain trust and respect at work, especially when managing long-standing staff during times of organisational changes.”
