Council to pay ex-employee £150k for discrimination

Essex County Council said it "strives to comply with equality and employment requirements"

A council must pay a former employee more than £150,000 after she was discriminated against and constructively dismissed, a tribunal ruled.

Social worker Nicola Griffiths, 61, was prescribed antidepressants and referred for counselling because of how she was treated by Essex County Council, a report said.

Court documents seen by the BBC reveal an employment judge ordered the authority to pay Ms Griffiths £153,906.54, including £25,000 compensation for injury to her feelings.

The council said it had taken on board the guidance and recommendations made by the tribunal.

The tribunal heard how Ms Griffiths, from Colchester, raised a grievance over behaviour the judge said "hurt her feelings to such an extent that it had serious long-term effects on her mental health".

In 2018, allegations against her were made, including concerns over administration and that she had caused families to leave meetings in tears.

In a meeting, Ms Griffiths's line manager told her complaints had been made but did not share what the concerns were, who raised them, or whether they had been or were going to be investigated.

'Worry'

She sent an email asking for more information about the complaints and was told there was further detail that could not be shared with her at that stage.

In a report published last year after an initial hearing, an employment judge said the response "gave no information but the way it was written was almost guaranteed to make [Ms Griffiths] worry".

By the start of 2019, Ms Griffiths's mental health was suffering and she had increased anxiety.

She eventually went on sick leave and had to apply for a loan to cover her mortgage and bills after she stopped receiving full pay.

The employment judge ruled she was disabled because of her anxiety and depression and that she had fallen victim to indirect discrimination.

The judge said Ms Griffiths resigned because she felt she could not trust the council and that it was an unsafe place to work because there had been no ramifications for her colleagues who made unfounded complaints against her.

A spokesperson for the authority said: "Essex County Council strives to comply with equality and employment requirements. We take these obligations and the continued learning very seriously."