Employment Law

Chandra has over 20 years’ experience in employment law, in Tribunals and appeals, since he first started representing employees for the Free Representation Unit in 1993.  Most of his cases now are instructed directly by the public on the Bar’s Direct Access Scheme, mainly through referrals.  Most of Chandra’s cases have been discrimination cases and he specialises in these.  Chandra has also, through referrals, gained an expertise in particular areas of employment, especially professionals such as in medicine (doctors and nurses) and education (teachers, teaching assistants and coaches), and the associated regulatory bodies. 

L v U (2017)

L was the Intranet Manager globally for a large multinational and was told she was redundant while on maternity leave after 9 years with U, despite the company still having an Intranet.  L complained of sex discrimination and unfair dismissal due to failures in law in relation to redundancy during maternity leave and previous non-promotion and pay.  An extensive grievance was put in, and an SAR, after which settlement discussions started.  Two originating applications (the latter covering appeals) and a schedule of loss were lodged and the Tribunal made orders. The case was settled favourably a month prior to the main hearing.

W v S (2015)

W was a Business Records Manager (Intranet and Compliance) globally for a large multinational with 20 years experience in S and worked mainly from home due to the international nature of her work and timezone management which meant she had a line manager and a dotted line manager.  Following a new line manager being appointed her employment conditions were unilaterally varied and then her job internally advertised and she was told she could comply with the new job T&Cs or would be made redundant.  She refused and went on sick leave. While this happened her husband was taken seriously ill and she was put under pressure to say when she would return form sick leave to make a decision about the new job.  Eventually her sick leave entitlement ran out, by which time she was pregnant with her fifth child, and she returned to work and was told to accept the new job or be made redundant at which point she lodged an extensive grievance which was rejected.  She appealed and while the appeal was pending she was offered a new job within the company that was under her old dotted line manager, now as line manager, and essentially replicated her previous role which she accepted.  The whole process from the initial representation to the final job offer was 18 months during which all the letters and written representations were drafted by Counsel with accompanying documents and bundles.

W v Patcham High School and Brighton Hove City Council [2013]

Teacher unfairly dismissed got maximum award (£78750).

M v Virgin Media [2014]

Cable Box Installer/Driver picked on by managers won constructive dismissal case.

G v HPC [2014]

Race discrimination case (car mechanic) settled for substantial amount of money

CJ v UKCC

CJ (a nurse) was sacked and then reported to the UKCC for allegedly having given a 2nd dose of aspirin to a child

Brabazon-Drenning v United Kingdom Central Council [2001] HRLR 6

Adepoju v Whitbread (EAT) - [2001] UKEAT 0809_00_1105, EAT/0809/00
Inadequate reasons of Tribunal on law and findings of fact

O’Brien v Boker Aeroclean (EAT)
Right of Applicant to his own choice of legal representative

MM v SBHA [1997]

Race discrimination case (nurse) settled for substantial amount of money