Wirral charity worker dismissal was right, judge decides

Mar 23 2011 by Matt Hurst, Birkenhead News

A CHARITY with offices in Birkenhead and Ellesmere Port was found to have unfairly dismissed a member of staff.

Helena Griffiths, of Westbourne Road, West Kirby alleged that former employer, Parents Against Drug Abuse (PADA) terminated her employment after she discovered financial irregularities, and reported her findings to a trustee.

Ms Griffiths claimed that a large payment had been incorrectly identified in the charity’s accounts. She also claimed that a former member of staff had continued to receive a salary long after her employment was terminated, and that manager, Lynn Clare was overpaid.

But at a tribunal hearing on March 18, Judge Derek Reed said she failed to produce any evidence to supported her assertions.

Prior to filing the tribunal papers, Ms Griffiths took her allegations to the police and the Charities Commission, but neither decided to pursue the claims.

PADA manager, Lynn Clare told the tribunal, in Liverpool’s Cunard Building: “The police investigated and came to the conclusion that these were malicious allegations.”

Regarded as a good worker, trouble began for Ms Griffiths when she took an extended, and unauthorised, leave of absence to care for her mother in home country, Slovenia.

PADA was then forced to streamline the operation of the helpline, Ms Griffith’s main duty, from a national to a local level as funding pressure hit.

The tribunal heard this reduced demand by 92%, and effectively made Ms Griffith’s role redundant.

Judge Reed said: “The fact is, PADA needed one fewer employee, and did not need somebody on the helpline anymore, because it had restricted to local need rather than on a national basis.

“This is a classic redundancy situation.”

But Judge Reed did determine a lack of consultation with Ms Griffiths regarding her employment constituted unfair dismissal.

Helena Griffiths was not awarded any compensation, nor was her employment reinstated.

Speaking after the tribunal, Lynn Clare said: “I think we’ve been vindicated.”