Isabel

The employment solicitors at constructivedismissal.co.uk acted for Isabel in negotiating a good severance package. She has given her permission for us to use the details of her case on this site.

Isabel had worked for a bulge bracket bank for almost eight years. She was bright and ambitious and believed she was very close to being promoted to director level when the scenario changed completely. A new line manager was appointed from the bank's US operation. Isabel was the most senior person in the team and he had come from a different area, but within two weeks of him starting she discovered he had made two new male hires without even consulting her. Within three months of the new boss she was put through a disciplinary procedure for misconduct in circumstances which were highly questionable. In the meantime, the three men on the team formed a ‘boy's club', going out two to three evening a week drinking and visiting lap dancing clubs. As Isabel worked long hours and didn't drink, she was effectively excluded and noticed that the other team members talked to her less and less. She was not even invited out to the Christmas lunch. Her boss never gave her any credit for business she brought in and whatever she did seemed to be damned with faint praise. She was constantly told to give introductions to the new hires. Eventually, her boss told her she was not cooperating and started a disciplinary procedure to dismiss her.

We commenced a constructive dismissal claim and managed to get negotiations started and immediately raised the issue of a discrimination claim. We used every tactic in the book to ensure they knew Isabel was serious and that her career had suffered. We were able to ensure that her settlement agreement took account of her bonus, discrimination claim, as well as salary and got her a six figure sum.