I’ve just heard a report on BBC News 24 about Southampton Employment Tribunal’s compensatory award of £18,000 for unfair dismissal to Terri King. Ms. King was sacked by her employer, Lymington Citizen’s Advice Bureau, for breaching their client confidentiality policy. This was following a Cheap Jerseys call to her from a client who talked about how her debt problems were making her consider suicide; Ms. King had worked with the client before, and knew she’s attempted suicide in the past. She says the client gave her permission to telephone her doctor – in any event, that’s what she did. Ciitzen’s Advice say she ought to have sought clearance from her line manager and from a head office manager before contacting the doctor.

I’m not at all surprised by this decision. What on earth the CAB thought they were doing, I don’t know. It’s perfectly obvious to anyone with any sense that this wasn’t a sacking offence. But of course anyone who works in any kind of organisation knows there’s an awful lot of nonsense talked about confidentiality. That the CAB should think the client’s confidentiality requires risks to be taken with her life by bureaucratic delay, is simply typical.

I’m glad the CAB is going to have to pay not just financially, but reputationally, for this bad mistake. It might make Maglie Calcio other organisations get their confidentiality policies in proportion. I’m glad, too, that and Employment Tribunal is in the news for once for a ruling that most working people will see as sensible.

2017-03-18T07:09:39+00:00Tags: , , |