Ignoring caregivers could come at a high cost
This year, Nationwide Building Society was ordered to pay £350,000 in compensation to a former employee who was made redundant after refusing its return-to-office mandate.
Ms J Follows was a “top performer” at Nationwide and also a carer to her elderly and disabled mother. She originally had a home working arrangement with the bank. But after the Covid-19 pandemic it decided to stop all home working and requested that managers return to the office to supervise junior members of staff.
Ms Follows explained to her line manager that it was impossible for her to work in the office due to her caring responsibilities and raised a formal complaint, but Nationwide, in response, made her home-working role redundant. With Ms Follows’ caring responsibilities not suitably considered, if at all, she brought claims of unfair dismissal and disability discrimination and won.
This case should be a warning to all employers who are yet to recognise and support carers that provide elderly care support in their workforce.
- According to ONS data, more working adults now have an elderly dependent over the age of 65 than a child under the age of 15.
- The Carers Leave Act comes into force next year and will give all carers one week of unpaid leave a year to look after their loved ones.
- The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act coming into force next year will allow all employees additional statutory rights regarding flexible working arrangements that start from day one of their employment.
- Carers are protected from discrimination and harassment in the workplace under the Equality Act 2010. Employees looking after someone who is elderly, disabled or has a chronic illness, are protected from discrimination and harassment in the thorough association with the rights of their loved ones.
- 2.6 million employees quit their jobs or reduced their hours due to the lack of support at work to balance their caring responsibilities with work, according to Carers UK.
With an ageing population and workforce it’s critical for all employers to recognise and support elderly caregiving in the workforce.
Full details of the tribunal can be found here: Mrs J Follows v Nationwide Building Society
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The UK’s No1 adult caregiving support service' for employees. Helping families understand, find and fund elderly care.
