Judge rules out ‘unfair’ claims

Employees
can no longer claim compensation for injury to feelings in unfair dismissal
cases, following a judgment at the Employment Appeal Tribunal last week.

Mr
Justice Burton ruled in the case of Dunnachie v Kingston upon Hull City Council
that non-pecuniary losses are not recoverable in employment tribunals in unfair
dismissal claims.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today and OHW+ - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Comments

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

This
means tribunals cannot award damages for personal injuries, aggravation and
injury to feelings caused by the manner (or fact) of dismissal.

John
McMullen, national head of employment law at law firm Pinsents, said:
"This judgment should be a great relief to employers." Under sex
discrimination claims, awards of up to £25,000 can be made for injury to
feelings.