Not saying hello to a colleague could break employment law, judge rules
16 October 2024, 13:31
Ignoring your colleagues when they say hello could breach employment law, a tribunal has ruled.
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It comes after a judgement found a recruitment manager could successfully claim unfair dismissal when her new boss deliberately ignored her.
Nadine Hanson told the hearing she said hello to boss Andrew Gilchrist three times when arriving at work, he ignored all three greetings.
This behaviour undermined workplace trust, a judge ruled.
Judge Sarah Davies said: “While it might not, by itself, be a fundamental breach of contract, it was capable of contributing to such a breach.”
Mr Gilchrist had recently taken over as MD of Interaction Recruitment, heading the company’s 30 offices.
The tribunal heard that, following a meeting, the 62-year-old formed a poor opinion of Ms Hanson, who had been at the company for 20 years.
When he appeared several days later at Ms Hanson’s Scunthorpe offices, he ignored her greetings, believing she had been late to work.
He then pushed away her phone when she attempted to show him she had been attending a medical appointment.
Mr Glichrist then suggested she should leave the company.
Ms Hanson resigned the following month.
The tribunal concluded that Ms Hanson’s dismissal was unfair.
Her compensation will be decided at a later date.
