Employment Tribunal cases in the news this week – 24.03.2014 to 30.03.2014

In the latest of our series on employment tribunal cases in the news this week, we take a look at ten employment tribunal cases that have made the news between 24.03.2014 and 30.03.2014.

PPS ‘discriminated against women prosecutors’, tribunal rules – Fifteen senior women prosecutors have successfully sued the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in Northern Ireland for sex discrimination (BBC)
Former Queen Mary lecturer’s unfair dismissal claim rejected – A lecturer’s position was genuinely redundant even though an apparently equivalent position was advertised a short time later, an employment tribunal has ruled. The issue was at the heart of former cell biology lecturer Fanis Missirlis’ unfair dismissal claim against Queen Mary University of London (The Times Higher Education)
Halesowen woman’s bullying boss claims rejected – A Halesowen mother who made whistleblowing disclosures against the NHS over alleged bullying by her boss and less favourable treatment by staff has lost her legal claims in the Employment Tribunal (Halesowen News)
Employment Tribunal payout over Carlisle shop’s failure to provide toilet – A mother of three has received compensation after she was forced to give up her job because the toilet was too far away. Karen Sharpe, 44, who has the neurological condition multiple sclerosis (MS), told a tribunal she was forced to give up the job she loved at Boots Opticians in Carlisle because her bosses failed to provide a toilet that was near to her first floor work station (The News & Star)
Crick company faces £280,000 payout after Employment Tribunal claim – A Crick transport firm has been told to pay redundant employees at one of its branches more than a quarter of a million pounds. The payout by Norbet Dentressangle Transport Services Ltd, totalling about £280,000, is legally classed as a protective award and is usually made when a management has failed to consult with unions and employees about job losses pending a closure (Daventry Express)
Ex Radio Clyde DJs win claim for unfair dismissal – Two former DJs have won an unfair dismissal case against a radio station’s owners in a ruling their legal team says will have far-reaching implications for the industry. Former Radio Clyde overnight show presenters Adrian Coll and Kevin Cameron – whose shows were broadcast throughout Scotland – won what was described as a groundbreaking case three years after their dismissal by the station’s owners Bauer (Herald Scotland)
Boss cleared of calling disabled worker ‘a size 22 fat and ugly cripple’ – A boss at a leading opticians’ chain has been cleared of calling a disabled female worker ‘a size-22, fat and ugly cripple’ before she was sacked, a judge has found. Optical Express manager Hugh Kerr did NOT use the phrase in a telephone call, the verdict of an employment tribunal has ruled (Manchester Evening News)
Rolls-Royce accused of sacking senior engineer for whistle-blowing – Rolls-Royce has been accused of sacking a senior engineer after he blew the whistle on allegations of potentially serious problems with the company’s jet engines. Dr Hilmi Kurt-Elli, who was a senior design engineer on Rolls-Royce engines used on more than 30 different types of passenger jets, claimed at an employment tribunal on Tuesday that he was dismissed after raising safety concerns with the FTSE100 company’s chief executive, John Rishton (HITC Business)
Nurse whistleblower Kevin Murray wins damages – A whistleblower has won undisclosed damages against a national nursing agency following an industrial tribunal in Belfast. Agency nurse Kevin Murray made allegations of abuse and neglect regarding a patient’s home care package (BBC)
BT call centre worker loses unfair dismissal claim – A BT call centre worker in Dundee who had a lengthy absence record has lost his claim for unfair dismissal. An employment tribunal has ruled that the decision to terminate the contract of Stuart Nicoll, of Carnoustie, was within the band of reasonable responses (The Courier)