Tribunal finds married couple unfairly dismissed

An employment tribunal heard that a businessman who did not approve of his employees engaging in office romances unfairly fired a female executive as "collateral damage" two days after her husband was dismissed.

 

A director at recruitment firm Key People Limited, Mark Atherton was said to have changed his behaviour towards Paula Whitbourn "as a consequence" of her marrying his nephew Jason, who also worked at the company.

 

The tribunal in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was told Mr Atherton made it clear he did not approve of relationships "in the office" and would avoid communicating with the £90,000-a-year sales executive.

 

Furthermore the tribunal heard Mrs Whitbourn, who began working for the firm in 2001 as a pharmaceutical recruitment consultant, married her boss's nephew in 2016. The nephew, Jason Atherton, had been appointed a sales director of the company in May 2011. 

 

Mrs Whitbourn and her husband Jason Atherton have received a combined payout of £116,597 after they claimed they were unfairly dismissed.

 

Mandy Peters Solicitors 

Lewisham