header-logo header-logo

Zoned out

17 April 2014 / Anna Macey
Issue: 7603 / Categories: Features , Employment
printer mail-detail

Does the Johnson exclusion zone apply to constructive dismissal? Anna Macey reports

In Gebremariam v Ethiopian Airlines Enterprise (t/a Ethiopian Airlines) UKEAT/0439/12/GE, Ethiopian Airlines employed Ms Gebremariam as a ticket officer before selecting her for redundancy, without any procedures or selection criteria. She put in an appeal, complaining about the lack of procedures, and shortly after the respondent upheld her complaints and froze the redundancy process. Gebremariam then resigned, claiming constructive dismissal, among other things.

The employment tribunal (ET) found the respondent had not breached any terms of Gebremariam’s contract before the redundancy notice was given to her, but that the lack of procedures during the redundancy process did amount to a breach of the implied term of trust and confidence. However, when the respondent agreed to start the redundancy process afresh, the ET held there was no basis on which Gebremariam’s loss of trust and confidence in the respondent could be maintained, and her claim for constructive dismissal therefore failed.

Before the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) there were multiple points of appeal and cross-appeal.

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Tech companies will be legally required to prevent material that encourages or assists serious self-harm appearing on their platforms, under Online Safety Act 2023 regulations due to come into force in the autumn
Commercial leasehold, the defence of insanity and ‘consent’ in the criminal law are among the next tranche of projects for the Law Commission
The Bar has a culture of ‘impunity’ and ‘collusive bystanding’ in which making a complaint is deemed career-ending due to a ‘cohort of untouchables’ at the top, Baroness Harriet Harman KC has found
Lawyers have broadly welcomed plans to electronically tag up to 22,000 more offenders, scrap most prison terms below a year and make prisoners ‘earn’ early release
David Lammy, Ellie Reeves and Baroness Levitt have taken up office at the Ministry of Justice, following the cabinet reshuffle
back-to-top-scroll