{"id":14492,"date":"2024-08-07T18:33:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-07T18:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/uk\/?post_type=resources&#038;p=14492"},"modified":"2026-10-19T10:56:00","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T10:56:00","slug":"dismissal-of-nhs-worker-for-coming-to-work-smelling-of-alcohol-was-unfair","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/uk\/resources\/hr-compliance\/disciplinary\/dismissal-of-nhs-worker-for-coming-to-work-smelling-of-alcohol-was-unfair\/","title":{"rendered":"Dismissal of NHS worker for coming to work smelling of alcohol was unfair"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-primary-white-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f85887e8 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:25px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-929090b5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>McElroy v Cambridge Community Services NHS Trust ET\/3400622\/2014<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>unfair dismissal | misconduct | alcohol<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An employment tribunal has held that an NHS trust unfairly dismissed an employee who was reported for coming to work smelling of alcohol, without further evidence that he was unfit for work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-bg-light-blue-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f1e3dc65 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">\n<h3 id=\"h-want-to-see-more\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14.642px, 0.915rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.708), 22px);font-style:normal;font-weight:500\">Want to see more?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-bm-inline-sentence is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.385), 18px);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For full access to <\/p>\n\n\n<h2 style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.385), 18px);font-style:normal;font-weight:500\" class=\"wp-block-post-title\">Dismissal of NHS worker for coming to work smelling of alcohol was unfair<\/h2>\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.385), 18px);\" class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> sign up to a HR and Compliance Centre subscription today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"\/uk\/quote\/?intcmp=hrcc-migrated-resource|quote|request-a-quote\" style=\"border-radius:25px\">Request a quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column lnrs-hide-block-on-mobile is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--secondary-gray);border-left-width:2px;padding-left:10px;flex-basis:30%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained wp-container-2 is-position-sticky\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-bleach-white-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-22a7c014 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-radius:14px;padding-top:10px;padding-right:15px;padding-bottom:15px;padding-left:15px\">\n<h3 id=\"h-navigate-hr-complexity-with-confidence\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:500\">Navigate HR complexity with confidence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Brightmine, you can build powerful people strategies, implement best practices and set your organisation up for a brighter future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learn how our tools, resources and automation can empower you and your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"\/uk\/solutions\/?intcmp=cta|blog|solutions|learn-more\" style=\"border-radius:25px\">Learn more<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group lnrs-hide-block-on-mobile has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-64c039dc wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-secondary-gray-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-secondary-gray-background-color has-background\" style=\"margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Read more articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"wp-block-post-template is-layout-flow wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-a7dce961 wp-block-post-template-is-layout-flow\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-24865 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry category-c-and-i topic-ai-in-hr\">\n<h2 style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.192), 16px);line-height:1.3;text-decoration:underline;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0\" class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-0b1b36f3c2dfa7682bfd13b67e3228a9 wp-block-post-title has-text-color has-primary-black-color\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/uk\/resources\/hr-strategy\/hr-technology\/ai-in-hr\/ai-in-recruitment\/\" target=\"_self\" >AI in recruitment and CV screening: Why HR should review how candidates are assessed<\/a><\/h2>\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-24712 resources type-resources status-publish has-post-thumbnail hentry category-blogs topic-employee-engagement\">\n<h2 style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.192), 16px);line-height:1.3;text-decoration:underline;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0\" class=\"has-link-color wp-elements-0b1b36f3c2dfa7682bfd13b67e3228a9 wp-block-post-title has-text-color has-primary-black-color\"><a 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can bring an employee dismissed with PILON within the six-month unfair dismissal &#8230;<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__resource\" style=\"background-color: #f3f2f0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/uk\/resources\/hr-compliance\/disciplinary\/written-statement-of-reasons-for-dismissal\/\"><div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__resource_image\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/cdn.brightmine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/09\/22145727\/two-female-hr-colleagues-discussing-pay-in-conference-room.webp);\"><\/div><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__inner_content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"content-top\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__categories\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"lnrs-resource-hub-widget__category_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"sync\" 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class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Brightmine<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With more than 10,000 customers, Brightmine is a leading global provider of people data, analytics and insight \u2013 empowering HR leaders to deliver brighter business outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more than two decades, Brightmine, formerly XpertHR, has continued to help HR leaders confidently navigate the evolving world of work through our unique combination of critical workforce data, AI-enabled technology and trusted HR expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Brightmine is a division of LexisNexis Data Services within RELX\u00ae, a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools. RELX serves customers in 180+ countries with 35,000+ employees. Ticker: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-primary-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ad14550bb07010b79fc22eb0ca4e129e wp-block-paragraph\">Follow Brightmine on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/brightmine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An unfair dismissal case highlighting the risk of relying on allegations of misconduct without sufficient evidence that an employee was unfit for work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":14714,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"wp-custom-template-new-resources","categories":[52],"tags":[],"topic":[73],"class_list":["post-14492","resources","type-resources","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hr-news","topic-disciplinary"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.3 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