Essex care workers secure £1 million unfair dismissal payout

Care workers based in homes across Essex have received compensation after a tribunal ruled they were unfairly dismissed from their jobs.

The 115 members of staff were affected when care provider Excelcare – a social care firm that has been operating for 20 years – took over the running of ten care homes in the county.

After it realised the running costs were higher than previously thought, it imposed pay cuts of up to 40 per cent on members of staff, the Essex Echo reports.

When the employees refused to accept their new contracts, they were dismissed by Excelcare.

Now, following a two-week tribunal hearing at Bury St Edmunds, they have received compensation payouts ranging from £1,000 to £300,000.

Anne Vinden, spokeswoman for the trade union Unison, commented: “I feel very pleased on behalf of this group, because they are low-paid members who work incredibly hard … I think they deserve to be treated legally and properly.”

Anyone who feels their employer ended their employment unfairly may have grounds for an unfair dismissal complaint and should seek the advice of a specialist lawyer.

Annalie King, an employment solicitor at KCJ who specialises in care home issues adds: “The care sector generally has more than its fair share of employment issues, whether it is on the transfer of a business or more day-to-day issues such as grievances. This is not surprising considering that care homes are very much ‘people’ businesses. Our aim would always be to ensure that care home owners and managers seek advice before taking any steps which could leave them exposed to legal action.”