Unfairly dismissed after moving
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• David and Carol Errington, trading as Direct Courier Express, unfairly dismissed driver Michael Murphy for failing to attend work after the firm moved from Warwick to Rugby.
A Birmingham industrial tribunal said that Murphy's difficulties in getting to work were brought about by the move and the firm's refusal to allow drivers not on standby to take their delivery vehicles home. While those decisions were proper, the firm did not give Murphy enough time to make other arrangements. Nor did they seek to take any steps to help him resolve his difficulties.
However, the tribunal said Murphy's travelling difficulties were so intractable that, had reasonable steps been taken to assist him, it would only have extended his employment by two weeks before the time he would have been made redundant.
The tribunal adjourned the hearing for 28 days to enable the parties to reach a settlement.