Baker fired for holey loaves
A head baker recently won £15,000 in an unfair dismissal case after he was sacked from his job at an artisan bread shop in Dorset for making loaves with too many holes in them.
How did this happen? Because during the tribunal, it came to light that the problem wasn’t so much with WHY he was dismissed, but the way his employer went about it.
The baker’s employer maintained that she left notes around the bakery telling this member of staff to adjust the way he was making bread for customers. But none of these notes were handed to him in person or emailed to him, meaning there is no paper trail for them being sent or received. Plus, the employee’s grasp of English wasn’t great, so his boss should not have assumed that he was acknowledging and understanding her warnings.
It's yet more proof that employers need to follow a fair and reasonable dismissal procedure to avoid finding themselves in hot water.
If you want to ensure you are compliant when dealing with dismissing an employee, contact Little Rock Employment Law on 01245 261883.