In this week’s MMD, we undertake a Q&A on sickness absence on the Podcast. Daniel has prepared a video on the issue of confidentiality within grievance and disciplinary matters.

Finally, there is still opportunity to attend our upcoming event on “future proofing your business”. To register please respond by reply or email seminars@chadlaw.co.uk.

THE MMD PODCAST

Episode 30:  Absence Matters: Navigating Employment Law and Sickness Absence

In this week’s episode Pauline Buckley puts a series of questions to Sam Pawson relating to Employment Law, specifically some do’s and don’ts when considering sickness absence.

https://spoti.fi/3XfETOA

THE MEDIA HUB

The Reluctant Complainant

How should an employer proceed where an employee raises concerns about a colleague, but requires that the matter is not investigated and remains confidential? This video explored the employer’s difficult balancing act in respecting the employee’s wishes against protecting the business.

https://youtu.be/yNVpaGjYCgA?si=m8ZIOh5JbiZsshrP

Tribunal rules on asylum seeker escorts’ WhatsApp texts

The case involved two Claimants, David Maynard and John Lehan who were dismissed by Mitie after sharing derogatory and racist messages on a workplace WhatsApp group. Their jobs involved accompanying unsuccessful asylum applicants back to their country of origin or a safe third country. The WhatsApp chat in question had 80 Mitie escorts in the group. The relevant comments made by the two Claimants and other racist behaviour was brought to light in the press by a whistleblower in February 2022. The chief executive of Mitie condemned such racist behaviour and promised action, the Claimants were then dismissed in April 2022. Lehan lost his unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal claims. The judge said he forwarded an “offensive image related to race” and said his comments about hunger strikers were “derogatory, offensive and insensitive”. However, the tribunal found Maynard’s dismissal to be unfair as Mitie had based their decision on the press publication that he had made a ‘joke about Syrian refugees swimming to the UK’ which the tribunal stated was simply not the case. The judgment added: “To conclude there was anything that was racist, offensive or derogatory in what Mr Maynard said was not a response open to a reasonable employer.”

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6646105d993111924d9d3692/Mr_J_Lehan__1__and_Mr_D_Maynard__2__v_Mitie_Care_and_Custody_Limited__2302214-2022___2302471-2022_Judgment_12.04.2024.pdf

UPCOMING EVENTS

We have lots of exciting events coming up which we would love for you to be a part of.

To register your interest in any event, please email seminars@chadlaw.co.uk. We look forward to seeing you there!

JOIN US FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS SESSIONS

Through our relationship with Tailored Learning Solutions who provide mental health first aid courses in our business, we are now able to announce that we are running multiple courses at our Wakefield office including the following:

Mental Health First Aid (2 day course)

• 26/27th June (FULLY BOOKED)
• 25/26th Sept

Mental Health First Aid – Refresher (1/2 day workshop)

• 24th September

Suicide First Aid – LITE (1/2 day workshop)

• 25th June

Suicide First Aid – Understanding Suicide Intervention (1 day workshop)

• 28th November

Mental Health for Managers Workshop (1 day workshop)

• 14th October

The details of these sessions can be found at the Tailored Learning Solutions website: https://www.tailoredlearningsolutions.co.uk/book-online?category=all-services

If you would like further information and details of the cost for these events, please email carolgledhill@chadlaw.co.uk