Kevin Charles

If not properly addressed, allegations of bullying and harassment can be extremely damaging, potentially leading to employee sickness absence, loss of productivity, high staff turnover, tribunal claims and, in some cases, irreparably damaged reputations. However, being prepared for and confronting, at an early stage, some of the difficult questions that arise may help to avoid or limit the damage. An employee has raised a grievance including serious allegations of bullying. What can we do?

Following defeat in the Supreme Court at the hands of Unison in 2017, the government abolished the ill-fated fees regime in the employment tribunal. Part of the policy justification behind the introduction of fees was to disincentivise claimants from bringing weak and unmeritorious claims, which had no prospect of success but were a significant cost to businesses in defending them.