Rebecca, a young and vulnerable employee of a very well-known business in Northern Ireland, was subjected to severe physical and verbal harassment by a senior member of staff at her workplace. The persistent harassment and the employer’s failure to address her complaints led to a significant deterioration in her mental health, causing her to live and work in constant fear of reprisal and persecution. Ultimately, she was forced to resign, leading to a case of constructive unfair dismissal.
Feeling distressed and wronged by the events, Rebecca reached out to McCartan Turkington Breen for legal advice. She was connected with a member of our employment law department, John McShane, who provided her with a free initial consultation. It was clear that Rebecca’s case involved sexual harassment, negligence, dismissal and personal injury.
As a full-service law firm, we are uniquely positioned to deal with matters involving both employment and personal injury. In this case, our employment department collaborated with our personal injury department.
We provided initial advice on time limits and thereafter organised a joint consultation with Counsel to discuss the matter in further detail. We arranged an expedited medical assessment of Rebecca via an expert in the field to ensure that her damages were maximised as best possible.
The matter was advanced to both at the Employment Tribunal and High Court. The case was managed meticulously, including the provision of discovery, financial loss, witness evidence, bundle and hearing preparation.
The former employer defended matters robustly as expected, however, the strategy of pursuing the matter in two forums presented the defendant with difficult challenges in terms of adverse costs, media exposure and substantial damages.
Shortly before the hearing, the matter settled for a substantial sum with the employer agreeing to pay the majority of Rebecca’s costs, further alleviating her financial burden.
The matter was settled in the sum of £50,000.
If you feel that you have been treated unfairly at work, we are available to advise. Learn more about our Employment Law Services or Contact Us for a free and confidential initial consultation.
