Bosses are being warned that they must protect their staff from stress in the workplace if they want to avoid costly damages! The warning comes after a UK woman was awarded over £130,000 after she suffered a nervous breakdown brought on by pressure at work.
A Shropshire Employment Law Specialist in the UK, warns that this case was a timely reminder for employers that they must take stress seriously!
“The woman had repeatedly told her employer about the amount of work she was struggling with, and she claimed they did nothing to help her tackle the issue.”
The High Court ruled that the demands made on her were totally unreasonable, and if action had been taken, her breakdown could probably have been avoided. The employer in the case had referred the woman to a stress counsellor, but at no stage was anyone brought in to share her workload.
“Simply offering stress counsellings is not a long-term solution – if the root of the problem is the amount of work an employee is facing, the management team have to tackle the problem directly. As an employer, you are ultimately responsible for the welfare of your staff, and it’s vital that you take their concerns seriously.
“Although access to stress counselors and medical advice is a supportive step in the right direction, it’s not the answer to the problem as a whole.
“Many employees feel under pressure, particularly when a company is working to meet tough deadlines, but it’s the employer’s responsibility to ensure their health does not suffer as a direct consequence of striving for business success.”
The scope and complexity of employment law has developed dramatically in recent years. There seems to be a new development every month and as a result, keeping abreast of the rights and obligations of both employers and employees can be an ongoing concern. Stress in the workplace is a serious matter and should be a taken seriously by all UK employers.
Always seek professional legal advice form a specialist employment solicitor if in any doubt of employee and employer rights.
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About the Author:
John Mehtam heads the employment law team at Martin Kaye Solicitors. John runs numerous presentations on this specialist subject & provides Employment Law Training for UK Businesses.
Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:21:23 - 92%
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