Management questioned the amount paid to HB Roadways for the repairs (Representational photo)
Investigation found no wrongdoing
A Dundee transport manager who was dismissed after his company questioned more than £21,000 spent on pothole repairs has won £34,326 in compensation. The issue came up during an accounts meeting in December 2024. The invoices for October and November 2024 were worth £10,710 and £10,650, taking the total to £21,360. January 22 was also the anniversary of his mother’s death. He was emotional during the meeting and felt that the company was treating him badly despite his 24 years of service.
Instead, she identified “deficiencies in authorisation procedures” within the company. The tribunal described her as a “guiding hand” in the process. An employment tribunal ruled that Joinery and Timber Creations Ltd (JTC) had treated him unfairly and failed to conduct a proper investigation before firing him. Management questioned the amount paid to HB Roadways for the repairs and ordered an investigation. Ms Patterson spoke to several employees as part of her investigation. She eventually concluded that Shaw had not done anything wrong. However, she was later removed from the investigation and did not prepare the final report. Other employees put the report together. The judge noted that Shaw had recently experienced a family bereavement. JTC subsequently dismissed him. His attempts to appeal the decision were unsuccessful. Judge Jones found serious problems with the way JTC had handled the investigation and disciplinary process. The tribunal accepted Patterson’s conclusion that the company’s own authorisation procedures were inadequate. It also criticised the involvement of HR manager Ms Shand in several stages of the case, including Shaw’s suspension, investigation, disciplinary hearing and appeal.