To: MP-s, Parliament
Employment legal aid
As we all know, legal aid for employees has been cancelled. So many employees struggle with employers unfairness, and yet, they cannot afford legal representation. Plus, there are many vulnerable employees, discriminated against, and the employers are not held accountable. This is unacceptable, and has impacted throughout the years on the health, well-being and quality of lives of so many employees facing unjust , unfair and discriminatory treatment from their employers, without having the means to do anything about it.
Why is this important?
Because this can improve the lives of many, as most of active adults are in employment, hence struggling with the situation I have described.
As a clear example, I know of a person living with mental health condition, and used to be employed by Lidl Ltd. He has been constantly discriminated against and victimised, every time when he attempted to highlight the management wrongdoing. Eventually, following entrapment, he was unfairly dismissed, which obviously, he cannot challenge as he has not got the means to take legal action against Lidl Ltd.
I can refer to my own example as well, this time related to the public sector. I have worked with NHS since Oct 2015. Signed off due to the distress of providing end of life care for my mother, sick leave subsequently extended due to bereavement, I have has no support whatsoever from my employer. Furthermore, I have struggled for over one year to have organised a safe RTW by my employer. For over one year, they have not provided me any support, they ignored my e-communication, they obstructed me to RTW- which could have helped with my recovery, they have breached confidentiality, they disregarded grossly health and safety requirements and my statutory rights as an employee, regardless the fact that I am a vulnerable employee, who had cancer and further developed a severe anxiety disorder, due to bereavement and the work related stress , which impacts greatly on my quality of life. Since May 2020 up to today’s date, my employer has still not implemented the reasonable adjustments as required, instead they discriminate against me and intimidate me, when I am attempting to assert my rights. I have experienced such a distress, that I even ended up on a suicidal watch, as I reached at the stage of self-harm risk.
I am positive that so many others can relate to these examples, and maybe even worse.
I strongly believe that people should the very least, have the chance to take legal actions and have the support to do so, when necessary.
As a clear example, I know of a person living with mental health condition, and used to be employed by Lidl Ltd. He has been constantly discriminated against and victimised, every time when he attempted to highlight the management wrongdoing. Eventually, following entrapment, he was unfairly dismissed, which obviously, he cannot challenge as he has not got the means to take legal action against Lidl Ltd.
I can refer to my own example as well, this time related to the public sector. I have worked with NHS since Oct 2015. Signed off due to the distress of providing end of life care for my mother, sick leave subsequently extended due to bereavement, I have has no support whatsoever from my employer. Furthermore, I have struggled for over one year to have organised a safe RTW by my employer. For over one year, they have not provided me any support, they ignored my e-communication, they obstructed me to RTW- which could have helped with my recovery, they have breached confidentiality, they disregarded grossly health and safety requirements and my statutory rights as an employee, regardless the fact that I am a vulnerable employee, who had cancer and further developed a severe anxiety disorder, due to bereavement and the work related stress , which impacts greatly on my quality of life. Since May 2020 up to today’s date, my employer has still not implemented the reasonable adjustments as required, instead they discriminate against me and intimidate me, when I am attempting to assert my rights. I have experienced such a distress, that I even ended up on a suicidal watch, as I reached at the stage of self-harm risk.
I am positive that so many others can relate to these examples, and maybe even worse.
I strongly believe that people should the very least, have the chance to take legal actions and have the support to do so, when necessary.
