The world of tomorrow is digital. Kids are inherently fascinated by screens, which they find great joy in and intuitively…
Nursery manager receives pay-out for unfair dismissal
A nursery manager from Wakefield has been awarded almost £18,000 at an employment tribunal, after her claims for unfair dismissal and wrongful dismissal were successful.
Susan Hodgson was employed as a nursery manager by South Elmsall Community Facilities since September 2018. The organisation, which has a number of district and town council representatives on its board, is responsible for Westfield Centre Children’s Day Care in Pontefract.
When a parent suffered a cardiac arrest when collecting his child, he asked for the child to be cared for by a family friend, which Hodgson facilitated. As this handover was against nursery safeguarding procedure the employer began an investigation, leading to Hodgson’s dismissal.
Trade union Unison provided Hodgson with legal support, leading to an employment tribunal in Leeds in February this year. The judge found in her favour, saying the employer had breached her contract by dismissing her without notice or payment in lieu of notice. The employer was ordered to pay compensation of £17,918.57.
The nursery then appealed, saying it had not received all the documents pertinent to the case, which was dismissed at a reconsideration tribunal hearing in June.
The employment tribunal judge said: “It cannot be in the interests of justice to deprive the claimant of a judgment in her favour because of the serious default of the respondent.”
Hodgson thanked Unison for its support. “I’ve belonged to Unison for all my working life and the support they gave me when I needed it was second to none,” she said. “From the Wakefield Unison branch representation at the beginning of my ordeal to the representation by barristers at the employment tribunal, I could not have wished for a better service. After 36 years of professional practice it would have been nice to have been able to retire with grace and dignity.”
Unison Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Rianne Hooley said: “I’m delighted Unison has been able to secure a legal victory for Susan. However, the employer’s conduct throughout fell well below that which one would expect from someone who holds public office. Thankfully Susan has received the compensation she deserves, and can start to put this ordeal behind her.”
Latest Managers
The parents of baby Oliver Steeper, who died after choking on his food at nursery, have welcomed new safer eating…
Disadvantaged children in England are being prevented from taking up their entitlement to 15 hours of funded early education, according…