A whistleblower who was sacked after exposing failures in the Immigration Service has accepted a payout from the Home Office instead of going to an employment tribunal.
Steve Moxon was due to put forward his case for unfair dismissal at a hearing today.
He lost his job at the Immigration Service office in Sheffield last year after revealing thousands of visa applications from Eastern Europe were being rubber stamped, virtually unchecked.
The political fallout after the scandal forced the resignation of immigration minister Beverley Hughes.
Following a five-month investigation Moxon was sacked from his £12,800-a-year caseworker post by management who said he breached confidentiality rules.
He had planned to legally challenge their decision using the Public Interest Disclosure Act – employment law designed to protect whistleblowers in the public sector.
Moxon has now accepted an out-of-court settlement from the government, thought to be £40,000-£50,000, which includes a gagging clause.
The Home Office said the matter has been “successfully settled”.
