A former Colchester car dealership employee who left the firm due to claimed workplace bullying has lost an appeal at the East London Employment Tribunal.
Paul Bryant, a former retail manager at the Group 1 Colchester Mini dealership, lost his employment tribunal case against Group 1 Retail Limited for constructive dismissal and wrongful dismissal.
The tribunal report, published last Tuesday, included Judge Rebecca Freshwater’s verdict that the company did not constructively dismiss Mr Bryant and that he wrongly interpreted his line manager’s approach as bullying.
Mr Bryant, who began working at the dealership in 2021, claimed he was constructively dismissed due to a breach of trust consisting of “persistent bullying” by his line manager, Karen Plane, and the company’s failure to investigate it adequately. Mr Bryant raised a grievance email on October 2, 2023, claiming he felt Mrs Plane only criticised him.
Judge Rebecca Freshwater concluded: “Looking at the facts in the case objectively, I do not find that the respondent conducted itself in a manner calculated or likely to destroy or seriously damage the relationship of trust and confidence between the employer and employee… The claimant was not constructively dismissed.”
The Judge added: “Mrs Plane clearly had a robust and direct style of management, but she did not bully or threaten the claimant. In my view, the claimant did not like Mrs Plant’s approach and began to interpret everything she said or did as an act of bullying.”
Mr Bryant’s claim for wrongful dismissal, related to his notice period, was also dismissed.
A spokesperson for Group 1 Automotive UK said: “We note that the East London Employment Tribunal dismissed Mr Bryant’s harassment and wrongful dismissal case, having found the evidence of Mrs Plane to be credible. More broadly, as a company, we are committed to maintaining a respectful, fair and inclusive workplace for all colleagues.”
The full report can be found here.
Source: Gazette News