Mrs T Watkins v Whitbread Group plc — 2025

The claimant brought a claim of unfair dismissal after being summarily dismissed from her role as Hotel Manager. The respondent relied on misconduct relating to four occasions when weekly fire alarm checks had not been physically completed but had been signed off as complete.

The Tribunal found that misconduct was the reason for dismissal and a potentially fair reason. It found the elements of the Burchell test were satisfied, and that while some aspects of the investigation process were not ideal, they did not affect the outcome.

The Tribunal considered the claimant's long and unblemished service, mitigation, acceptance of responsibility, and the absence of evidence that the conduct would be repeated. It concluded that dismissal was within the band of reasonable responses given the seriousness of the fire safety failures and falsified records, so the claim was dismissed.