Whistleblower ostracised after exposing bad practice

“Dictatorial” board members who headed up the HR team at the Royal British Legion were “not fit for purpose” an employment tribunal has heard.

And nearly all HR staff in the team have left because of the negative culture pervading the team.

Legion case officer Carolyn Bickerstaffe said she was unfairly constructively dismissed after revealing the problems in 2016.

Bickerstaffe complained regarding the behaviour of a manager and also raised concerns about how another member of staff was allowed to sign cheques, in breach of the Legion’s policies.

As a result of the complaint, the tribunal found she had been “ostracised” and “bullied” which made it almost impossible to return to work.

Bickerstaffe’s complaint ran from July 2015 until December 2016, when she resigned, after saying the Legion’s grievance appeal process would not allow her to return to work.

However the tribunal in Southampton has now ruled she was unfairly constructively dismissed and her claim for personal injury succeeded.

A remedy hearing will now take place at a later date.

The judgment also slammed the Legion’s HR department saying it had shared confidential emails and handled the process badly.

A spokesperson for The Royal British Legion said: "We are not able to comment on the specifics of this case, however we review all grievances to ensure we are continually improving our internal systems and delivering the best support for all of our staff.

"The Legion’s HR department has undergone changes in the previous 12 months as we continue to modernise the charity in our drive to deliver excellence for all of our staff and ultimately our beneficiaries."