A former secretary, Marie Wright, has been given the green light to pursue legal action against her previous employer, SFE Chetwode, after alleging that her dismissal was linked to her complaints about food safety in the staff canteen.
Wright claims that she was fired for raising concerns about ‘mouldy cheese’ served with a jacket potato, arguing that the issue went beyond food quality and touched on potential health risks.
Allegations and the Company’s Response
Wright, who worked at the business support firm based in Leicestershire, asserts that her firing came after she reported the ‘microbiological safety’ of the food served.
The company, however, maintains that the dark specks in the cheese were just pepper and that there was no reason for concern.
According to Wright, when she brought the matter to the attention of her superiors, a company director told her to dispose of the cheese discreetly and avoid making a fuss.
After this incident, Wright claims she was dismissed for being ‘rude and unproductive,’ though she contends that the real reason for her dismissal was her ‘whistleblowing’ regarding the food safety issue.
This matter was brought before an employment tribunal, where a judge ruled that Wright could proceed with her claim of ‘protected disclosure,’ provided she made a £1,000 deposit.
Whistleblowing and Food Safety Concerns
During the hearing, Employment Judge Richard Adkinson explained that while he couldn’t conclusively determine whether the cheese was mouldy from photos alone, he acknowledged that it was reasonable for Wright to believe that the food could be harmful.
He noted that it’s widely recognized that moldy food can pose health risks, and Wright’s concerns about foodborne illness were justified.
The tribunal also heard Wright’s stance that the cheese could potentially harm a large number of individuals.
Judge Adkinson remarked that it was not a controversial view to consider mold on food as a health risk, and that it should not be served.
However, while Wright had a reasonable case for claiming she made a protected disclosure, the judge found that her case for unfair dismissal would be difficult to prove since there was no clear link between her firing and the food safety complaints.
Challenges in the Case and Future Proceedings
Wright, who represented herself in the tribunal, had other claims dismissed, and the judge noted concerns about the way she presented her case.
While not directly addressing her alleged use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT to write her statements, Judge Adkinson remarked on the discrepancies between Wright’s written and spoken evidence, which left him with the impression that she may not fully understand her legal position.
Despite these issues, the judge confirmed that a further case management hearing would be scheduled to address the remaining claims and to assess how Wright proceeds with her legal action.