An occupational therapist who lost her job after years of suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome has won her claim of discrimination and unfair dismissal. Ms D Ward had worked for Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust since 2000. The trust operated a sickness and absence management policy under which employees faced disciplinary action if
A charity manager has won her case of unfair dismissal after her wages fell and she was forced to share responsibilities with an employee who was once her junior. Mary Gifford worked for Shetland Care Attendant Scheme (SCAS) from 2003. She was a part-time manager and co-ordinator. One of her staff, Kate Fraser, gained a
A university lecturer who faced allegations of “scandalous conduct” after starting a relationship with a student has lost his appeal against unfair dismissal. The case involved J Dronsfield, who was an academic at Reading University. Under the terms of his contract, he could be dismissed for “”good cause”” which included “”conduct of an immoral, scandalous
A farmer has won her claim against a mortgage lender over commission paid to her broker without her knowledge. The case involved Frances Elizabeth Wood and Commercial First Business Ltd (In Liquidation). In 2007, Wood applied through a broker, UKMFS, for a mortgage from Commercial First Business to buy a farm. She said she did
A manager at home furnishings retailer Laura Ashley was discriminated against because of her disability after her employers refused to change her shift patterns. That was the ruling of the Employment Tribunal in a case involving sales manager Avril Iles. Iles worked at the company from February 2015 until she resigned in August 2018. She
A husband has failed to prevent a property held in his mother’s name being included in his wife’s divorce settlement. The couple had married in 2002 but separated in 2014, having lived in rented property throughout their marriage. The wife issued financial remedy proceedings and by the time of trial, a property in Panama was
The government has issued a comprehensive guide on How to buy a home. The guide focuses on freehold properties and will be particularly useful to first time buyers. It takes you through the various stages of the process, beginning with how to work out how much you can afford. It also looks at the various
People who were overcharged when arranging deputyships over a seven-year period can now claim refunds. It’s thought the average pay-out could be £240. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) sets the level of fees for the appointment of deputies, who help people that lose the capacity to manage their financial and welfare interests. The Office of
The High Court has granted a special order enabling a man to take legal action against his brothers in a family dispute over their father’s will. The case involved Satbir Singh Dhillon and his brothers, who were executors and trustees of the will. Dhillon sought a declaration that £532,875 had been removed from the father’s
A family have succeeded in correcting an error in a trust fund that would have resulted in a tax bill of £112,000. The case involved a discretionary trust created in 2011 in respect of the estate of a man who had died in November 2010. A beneficiary of his will was entitled to £250,000 from