Setfords client awarded stress at work settlement in the region of five-figures.

The client began working for her employer as a Locality Manager in June 2004. On 2^nd April 2018, our client was working an overtime shift in the role of Clinical Supervisor at an ambulance station. During the shift, she made the executive decision to remove a paramedic rapid responder from working on a rapid response car and placed them as part of a double crewed ambulance.

The colleague was not happy about being removed, and made a formal complaint against our client. Our client’s line manager was automatically notified and had a duty to inform the client so an investigation could commence in a timely fashion. Despite this, our client did not find out about the formal complaint until 2^nd November 2018.

Her line manager arranged a meeting with our client, confirming a complaint had been made but that ‘it wasn’t really a complaint,’ which confused her. A senior manager then spoke to her regarding the complaint, identifying mediation as the preferred course of action, which our client agreed to.

This was not the first time her line manager had failed to act in an appropriate manner. Therefore, on 5^th November 2018, our client was forced to submit a formal grievance against him, which set out the poor management she had been subjected to. A meeting took place, the line manager apologised, and our client was referred to Occupational Health and the counselling service.

Her senior manager made comments that led our client to believe the complaint against her would be dropped. Therefore, our client was surprised when weeks later, the senior manager informed her that a formal investigation would be taking place regarding it.

Our client felt let down by the mishandling of the complaints process and felt that she was being used so her employer could rectify their own mistakes.

Our client approached Setfords to assist her in her stress at work claim in June 2020. The claim was issued on 22^nd October 2020 and the Letter of Response was received on 9^th April 2021 denying liability. The claim ultimately settled by Part 36 offer saw the Setfords client awarded stress at work settlement for a five-figure sum on 14^th July 2022.