Where There’s Blame

‘BRITISH workers have long been criticised for not having the same “have-a-go” attitude as their American counterparts.

‘And that’s when I sat on my head’

No longer. According to CBI director-general John Cridland, a new “have-a-go mentality” is sweeping Britain.

The only problem is that the ‘go’ in question is a ‘go’ at getting some compensation from their employer for increasingly spurious reasons.

The number of cases going to employment tribunal has risen by 17% in the year to April – an increase of 16,425 claims.

And Mr Cridland told the Independent that a minority of claims were by “serial litigants”, who turned up at tribunals on a regular basis with spurious claims.

One company apparently reported CCTV footage of a worker falling off his bike outside the factory gates, getting back on and repeating the fall inside the gates in order to claim compensation.

And another man took an employment agency to tribunal for unfair dismissal because he was told he was trying to find work in an area not covered by the agency.

Even Anorak is not immune from this compensation culture.

Old Mr Anorak was taken to tribunal by a disgruntled employee sacked in 2002 for asking if his pay could be upgraded…to decimal currency.’

Posted: 13th, September 2004 | In: Uncategorized Comment | TrackBack | Permalink