Case studies (Work and Business)

Case 1.
A 63-year-old man was made redundant as part of a round of
redundancies and his job was given to a junior colleague who had
previously offered his resignation, apparently with a view to
developing his career elsewhere. The older man claimed age
discrimination and unfair dismissal because his colleague had not
had to compete for the job through the redundancy procedure.
During the tribunal it was revealed colleagues sometimes referred to
the 63-year-old as Yoda, the wise old Jedi Knight from the film Star
Wars.

Case 2.
A man is claiming unfair dismissal after he was fired from the
branch of the supermarket chain he had worked in for nine years for
using his staff discount card in another branch. The store card had
been given to all workers as a perk in previous years, but the
company had recently restricted its use. The man claims he had been
off work sick and was unaware of these changes. Shortly after
breaking the news of his sacking to his family, his wife suffered a
stroke and died. The company insists the man was guilty of
deliberate abuse of staff privileges and all staff had been informed.

Case 3.
A 54-year-old nurse claims her employers have discriminated
against her on grounds of her faith after she was taken off front-line
duties for refusing to remove the cross she wears around the neck.
The woman feels her bosses tried to prevent her from expressing her
religious beliefs. The hospital, however, says its actions were
motivated by health and safety concerns and that its dress code
prohibits staff wearing any type of necklace.