A bus driver who ran a red light has won his case for unfair dismissal, after a judge ruled that a “five second” lapse in judgement should not discount more than 30 years of good service.
Abdul Jabbar had worked for National Express West Midlands and its predecessors for 37 years before he was fired for driving through a red traffic light on a major road in the West Midlands town of Dudley.
In this article in People Management, Senior Associate at SA Law Keely Rushmore examines how employers should consider a range of sanctions when disciplining staff.
Keely comments: “Employers often assume that dismissal will always be fair when gross misconduct is proven. This is not the case, as this case highlights. It’s crucial that an employer considers all circumstances of the case, including the employee’s individual circumstances, and assesses it on its own merits before deciding on an appropriate sanction.”
