An Essex cleaner who was embroiled in a row with his employers over taking "an additional tea break" has won a constructive unfair dismissal claim. The cleaner, Mr S Morriss, was based in Wickford working for Leidos Industrial Engineers Limited which employs 33 people. Mr Morriss first began working at the company at the beginning of 2018 and then resigned in November 2022.
The employment tribunal heard he usually worked between 8am and 4.30pm but this was changed to 6am to 2.15pm in June 2019, which he was told to accept or lose his job.
He eventually resigned in November 2022 but claimed constructive unfair dismissal - when an employee is forced to leave their job against their will because of the employer's conduct. Mr Morriss had become frustrated by the change to his hours and insisted that he should be able to take an additional 15-minute break. This was "verbally agreed" but nothing was produced in writing and his contract was not amended.
Read more: Essex business tycoon among four Brits missing after luxury yacht sinks off Sicily Read more: Nigel Farage defends huge GB News salary making him highest-earning MP When Mr Morriss was assigned a new line manager, she was "not aware" of this agreement and took action over it. The tribunal was told she attempted to “persuade him to relinquish the additional 15-minute break” to avoid other staff on the early shift asking for the same break. Mr Morriss was told he could not continue to take this break but did so anyway, a.