There have been a number of comments in the press pertaining to Maggie Pattinson’s employment tribunal case against the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC), which are incorrect and we would like to make the following observations on her behalf.

Ms Pattinson was employed by the REC for five years, working within an industry she has been involved with for more than 20 years. She is proud of the progress she had made in endeavouring to improve relations between the REC and its members, and in bringing her claim, she was in no way trying to discredit the whole of the REC, its employees, its members and what it stands for.

Ms Pattinson’s claim, which was upheld by the Tribunal, was that her position was not, in fact, redundant but was and is still a functioning position within the REC. The Tribunal agreed that her role was not redundant as the REC claimed and that the process surrounding her redundancy was wholly unfair and had been carried out by a consultant within the organisation who had taken over Ms Pattinson’s role.

The case did not involve consideration of whether or not any other REC employees were properly made redundant. Compensation was awarded by the Tribunal for loss of earnings following the unfair dismissal.

Ms Pattinson’s solicitors had made attempts throughout the case to settle the claim but the REC were not interested in resolving the matter. Ms Pattinson would also like to confirm that the delays in relation to the case were not due to the lack of preparation by either side but due to the Tribunal postponing the case as a result of unexpected and unforeseen circumstances.

Owen White Solicitors for Ms Maggie Pattinson