Mork calling Dave Kirk

[Dave Kirk]

Many Thanks Guy's for all your kind remarks. I am sorry to say that Carol returned from her interview this afternoon, and unfortunately she has been laid off.
She was told that it was based on her overall score, and her 12 months off had affected her total points and if she had been in at work for that time, she would have had enough points to have retained her job.
She is a very unhappy Bunny tonight, and we have got to think about our next move.
Kindest Regards to you all.
Dave.

[Ken Byng]

Dave
Carol's council should have taken into consideration that she didn't apply to be retired on the grounds of ill health, which she could have done quite easily. That would have cost the organisation a lot of money. I would imagine that Carol is in a trade union, and she should be having consultations with them to make sure that due processes were carried out fairly. If any part of her dismissal has any question marks against it, then you could be looking at taking the case to industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal. The council should do something to enhance her pension so that she might be able to take it early.

While I have had my battles with unions over the years in my capacity as a manager of a large section with Southampton City Council, I still recognised that they have a very important role to play in looking after the interests of their members. Indeed I was a trade union member myself as well as belonging to the musicians union and Equity.

To have one's career taken away because of illness that you have no control over is cruel to say the least. It is an easy cop out to terminate the employment of someone who has had a period of long term sickness, but an employer will often take the simplest option. I am sorry for you both, and this is a kick in the teeth on top of the problems that Carol and you have had to deal with over the last year or so.

[Nick Bidmade]

I fully endorse what Ken has said above. I was similarly a middle manager with local authorities, and in cases like this due process must be both done and more importantly be seen to be done. If someone has had a fully 'medically-authorised' period of absence, this should NOT count towards any point-tallying of performance. The authority concerned should have looked at a previous period of full employment to determine 'worthiness'. I do hope this lady was a Trades Union member - she should lodge a formal appeal immediately through them and ask for this decision to be reviewed.

[Malcolm]

Dave, just caught up with this post by The Gamble, so pleased to hear of Carol's progress, as Billy said she is an inspiration to us all,please give her my best regards.Let us know your Scottish dates so we can try and get to them, would be great to see you both, if you are anywhere near please call in and see us, both Gamble and myself are about seven miles from Glasgow airport, and about twenty minutes from Central Glasgow.