Colden HR

A university has been ordered to pay more than £264,000 after an Employment Tribunal found a former employee had been unfairly dismissed and later victimised through a retaliatory reference.​
​
The case centred around a long-running breakdown in the working relationship between an employee and her manager. Following mediation and disciplinary action, the employee was dismissed after being unable to secure another role internally.​
The Tribunal found:​
✔ The dismissal process was unfair​
✔ Full details of allegations were not properly provided​
✔ The employee’s appeal was not heard​
✔ A later reference stating the university was “still in dispute” with the employee amounted to victimisation​
The total award included future loss of earnings, pension loss and injury to feelings.​
​
Patricia Colden commented:​
“Many Tribunal claims are not simply about the original workplace issue, they arise because processes are handled inconsistently, emotionally or without proper procedural fairness. This case is a strong reminder that employers must follow their own policies, manage workplace conflict and ensure disciplinary and appeal processes are handled professionally from start to finish.”​
At Colden HR, we support businesses with practical HR guidance, manager support and compliant processes that help reduce risk and protect workplace relationships.​

📊 One in seven UK workers have experienced a “clear violation” of their employment rights, according to new research published by the Fair Work Agency.​
​
A major study carried out by UCL found widespread issues across UK workplaces, including underpayment of National Minimum Wage, unpaid extra hours, missing contracts and payslips, bullying and harassment, and negative mental health impacts linked to work.​
​
The findings are a stark reminder that employment law compliance is no longer something businesses can afford to treat as an “admin task” in the background.​
With the Fair Work Agency now in place and enforcement activity increasing, employers face greater scrutiny around:​
✔ Payroll accuracy​
✔ Contracts and documentation​
✔ Working practices​
✔ Manager conduct and consistency​
✔ Fair treatment of employees​
​
Importantly, many businesses are not intentionally getting things wrong, but legislation is becoming increasingly complex and expectations on employers continue to rise.​
​
Whether you employ 3 people or 300, now is the time to review your HR foundations and ensure your processes are legally compliant, practical and consistently applied.​
​
At Colden HR, we support businesses with straightforward, commercially focused HR advice that protects both the business and its people. Please contact Patricia Colden for a confidential conversation on 0121 284 0852.​
​

📌 HR doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be right!​
For many businesses, especially smaller teams, HR can feel like something to deal with “as and when needed.”​
​
In reality, having the right foundations in place makes day-to-day management much easier and helps to avoid problems in the future.​
​
✔ Clear contracts of employment​
✔ Up-to-date policies​
✔ Consistent processes​
✔ Training & confidence in handling people matters​
​
Getting the basics right helps prevent issues, supports your team and allows you to focus on running your business.​
​
At Colden HR, we specialise in practical, straightforward HR support that works in the real world.​
​
If you would like to review your current HR arrangements, please contact Patricia Colden for a confidential conversation.​
📩 [email protected]​
​
​