In a landmark employment rights case, an office worker has successfully secured compensation after her employer’s unreasonable behaviour resulted in an unfair dismissal. Nadine Hanson, a regional operations manager at Interaction Recruitment Ltd, filed a claim against the company after being repeatedly ignored by her boss, Andrew Gilchrist. The incident, which occurred in Scunthorpe, was heard at the Leeds Employment Tribunal, where Ms Hanson’s case was upheld.
The tribunal revealed that Mr Gilchrist, the managing director of Interaction Recruitment Ltd, refused to greet Ms Hanson on three separate occasions upon her arrival at the office. He reportedly believed she had arrived late for work, but he was unaware that she had a medical appointment. Despite her attempts to explain the situation, Mr Gilchrist ignored her greetings and proceeded to give two other staff members a pay rise without informing her. This behaviour contributed to Ms Hanson’s successful claim of unfair dismissal, with Employment Judge Sarah Davies ruling that Mr Gilchrist’s actions were both “unreasonable” and detrimental to “trust and confidence.”
Unfair Treatment and Unauthorised Wage Deductions
Ms Hanson had been employed for 20 years at the company, which was acquired by Interaction Recruitment in September 2023. Following the acquisition, Mr Gilchrist made several visits to the Scunthorpe office to meet the team. After one such visit, lasting less than an hour, he allegedly formed a negative impression of Ms Hanson, believing she was not contributing sufficiently to her team’s efforts. According to the tribunal, this judgement was made without proper knowledge of her role or responsibilities.
The situation escalated when Mr Gilchrist made an unannounced visit to the office on a particularly busy day. Ms Hanson, who had a medical appointment that morning, was running late. Upon her arrival, she greeted Mr Gilchrist, but he refused to acknowledge her, instructing her to join him in a meeting room instead. Ms Hanson attempted to show evidence of her appointment on her phone, but Mr Gilchrist reportedly pushed the phone away, further escalating tensions.
In addition to ignoring her greeting, Mr Gilchrist made matters worse by offering pay rises to Ms Hanson’s direct reports without consulting her. This move, seen by Ms Hanson as an attempt to undermine her position, left her feeling “undervalued” and led to her experiencing anxiety and sleepless nights. She eventually resigned in October 2023, handing in her eight-week notice.
During her notice period, Ms Hanson was signed off work due to anxiety. However, Mr Gilchrist refused to pay her sick leave, claiming that he did not believe she was genuinely unwell. The tribunal ruled this as an unauthorised deduction from wages, further solidifying her case against the company.
Tribunal Findings and Rulings
Employment Judge Sarah Davies delivered a strong condemnation of Mr Gilchrist’s actions, stating that his conduct was “calculated or likely to undermine trust and confidence.” Although ignoring an employee’s greeting might not alone constitute a fundamental breach of contract, the judge concluded that it contributed to a wider pattern of behaviour that violated employment law.
The tribunal found Mr Gilchrist’s testimony to be “wholly unconvincing,” particularly his claim that he could not remember if he had greeted Ms Hanson due to the office being busy. Judge Davies criticised his “snap judgement” of Ms Hanson’s performance, which was made without sufficient information or proper discussion. The tribunal also found that Mr Gilchrist had “disengaged” from Ms Hanson and was deliberately trying to force her out of the company.
The Workers Union says…
“Ms Hanson’s claim for unfair dismissal and unauthorised wage deduction was upheld, and she is now in line to receive compensation from Interaction Recruitment Ltd. The exact amount of compensation is yet to be determined. The tribunal’s decision highlights the importance of maintaining trust and respect in the workplace, particularly when managing long-standing employees during periods of organisational change.”
