{"id":4446,"date":"2020-10-01T14:08:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T14:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/natemplaw.co.uk\/?page_id=4446"},"modified":"2020-10-01T14:08:00","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T14:08:00","slug":"woman-sacked-for-self-isolating-wins-7000-at-employment-tribunal","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/natemplaw.co.uk\/woman-sacked-for-self-isolating-wins-7000-at-employment-tribunal\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman Sacked For Self-Isolating Wins \u00a37,000 at Employment Tribunal"},"content":{"rendered":"

A shop worker at the Good Health Store in the Isle of Man was sacked for self-isolating at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but has now been awarded just over \u00a37,000 by an Employment Tribunal.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Jackie Reid, a Type 1 diabetic, followed her GP\u2019s advice to self-isolate as her condition made her more vulnerable to the virus. After speaking with her boss, Kirsten Bennett, regarding her concerns that she would be required to self-isolate for up to 12 weeks, following the Government\u2019s advice, Mrs Reid then confirmed over the phone on the 20th March 2020 that her GP had advised her to only isolate for 14 days.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

When contacting Ms Bennett on 31st March 2020 and offering to return to work immediately,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mrs Reid reacted negatively and informed her that she was dismissing her.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After reaching out to the Manx Industrial Relations Service for advice, Mrs Ried asked Ms Bennet to explain her employment status and was told that the company considered her to have resigned. Ms Bennett questioned why she had wanted to isolate when there were no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the island, but then wanted to return when this had risen to 49 cases.<\/span><\/p>\n

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This left Mrs Reid without a job and whilst she had not intended to go to an Employment Tribunal, her family and friends advised that she should. This is when she decided to make her unfair dismissal claim against Ms Bennett.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During the tribunal, Ms Bennett said that Mrs Reid had abandoned her job without notice, without regard to the other employees or to the business. She also argued that she could have sued Mrs Reid for breach of contract.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eventually, the Employment Tribunal unanimously agreed that Mrs Reid was unfairly dismissed and suffered unlawful deductions from her pay. She was then awarded \u00a37,161.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, Ms Bennett, intends to appeal against the decision.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What all employees should know about self-isolating\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whilst the vast majority of vulnerable people who were advised by the Government to self-isolate\/shield themselves were informed that they no longer needed to do so on 1st August 2020, there are still times when you will be unable to go to work and will need to self-isolate, such as;\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n