Care worker wins payout at hearing
ACARE home worker has been awarded thousands of pounds after being made redundant on the first day of her new job.
Miss J Dash had worked for Athena Healthcare Group Ltd for a number of years, working partly in training and partly in compliance, primarily at Abbey Wood Lodge care home in Ormskirk, as well as Hesketh Park Lodge and Parklands Lodge, both in Southport.
On Monday, August 19, last year she had expected to start a new role within the company as an administrator.
But on the same day, the company, which also has care homes in Burscough and Much Hoole, made Miss Dash redundant.
It assured her she would receive four weeks’ pay and would also serve four weeks of gardening leave.
On termination of her employment, the company made an unauthorised deduction from her final pay. Following this, Miss Dash took Athena Healthcare Group Ltd to an employment tribunal.
Athena Healthcare Group Ltd acknowledged the tribunal but did not present a claim against
Miss Dash’s claims of unfair dismissal and unlawful deduction of wages.
In the ruling, which was published in July, the tribunal sided with Miss Dash, awarding her thousands of pounds.
“No proper warning or consultation about redundancy from the roles was given and no sufficient consideration of suitable alternative employment made,” Regional Employment Judge Jonathan Parkin found.
Athena Healthcare Group Ltd was ordered to pay Miss Dash a total of £2,396, split in the following way: A payment of £104.50 for an unauthorised deduction of wages;
A payment of £1,246.50 for being unfairly dismissed by reason of redundancy (reduced to £284.62 to factor in a £961.88 redundancy payment already provided);
A payment of £500 for loss of statutory rights;
Compensatory Award of £1,506.88.