Latest news with #JamieParker
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Breast cancer survivor wins £15,000 payout after she was sacked by marketing firm while she was off sick during treatment
A breast cancer survivor has won a £15,000 payout after she was fired by a marketing firm while she was 'seriously ill'. 'Dedicated' Lauren Henry was sacked 'out of the blue' while on sick leave, which she was forced to take due to a post-operation infection, a tribunal heard. The executive had only joined the marketing agency a week before she was diagnosed with cancer, it was heard. The panel heard that the driven executive had been recruited to 'generate revenue' for the business - but was unable to do so because of her absence. This ultimately led to managing director Jamie Parker firing her due to financial difficulties in which it became 'untenable' to 'support' her through her illness. The tribunal heard that the impact of her dismissal meant that Mrs Henry went from being a 'confident woman' to someone who 'felt diminished and less able to cope with working life'. The mother sued the marketing agency for discrimination arising from disability and her claims have now been upheld by a judge who spoke of the 'considerable anguish' caused to Mrs Henry. The tribunal, held in Reading, was told that Mrs Henry started working for Red Rag Marketing as Business Development Executive on May 22, 2023. The business is a small marketing agency based in Crewe, Cheshire. The panel heard that on May 30, eight days after joining, Mrs Henry was diagnosed with breast cancer. She telephoned her new boss the following day and said that her previous employers had asked her if she would like to return to their employment and that they would assist her through her treatment. But, Mr Parker - who was said to be the 'controlling mind' of the business - told his employee that she should 'stay' with his agency and they could 'work around' her medical appointments and he would 'support' her. Mrs Henry continued to work for Mr Parker and told the tribunal that in June of that year he was 'happy with her progress'. On July 4, Mrs Henry had her first operation. From that day onwards, she continued to work from home but it was heard that on July 17, she suffered a 'post operative infection'. She was ruled as being unfit for work for six weeks due to 'postoperative complications' and was due to return on August 28. But, on August 10, Mr Parker sent her an email to say that she was dismissed with one week's notice. The director said that it had become 'untenable' to 'support' Mrs Henry through her illness due to 'circumstances beyond our control'. Mrs Henry - who was described by the panel as being a 'good and dedicated worker' - told the panel that this came 'out of the blue' as far as she was concerned. An employment tribunal heard that Mr Parker sacked her due to 'financial difficulties' which had existed before Mrs Henry had been hired. It was heard that as 'part of a plan' to improve their financial situation, Mrs Henry was recruited and the idea was that she would 'bring in new business and improve the revenue situation'. Mrs Henry took the marketing business to an employment tribunal, alleging direct disability discrimination and discrimination arising from disability. The employee detailed the impact her dismissal had on her, and said that she now has a 'lack of trust in future employers' because of the manner in which she was let go when she was 'seriously ill'. She said it made her feel 'ashamed of her cancer as if it was something to hide' and left her and her family 'exposed to the stress and worry that this financial instability caused'. Her husband gave evidence that she went from being a 'confident woman' to someone who 'felt diminished and less able to cope with working life'. Employment Judge Lorna Findlay said the reason that Mrs Henry was selected to be dismissed was that 'she had been recruited to generate revenue but could not do so because of her sickness absence'. Dismissing her claims of direct discrimination, the judge said that this would have happened to 'someone else' who was in their probationary period and 'had needed up to six weeks off for a reason unrelated to disability at that time'. But, she upheld her claims of discrimination arising from disability. The judge said Mr Parker has provided 'only vague and scanty evidence' of their financial situation but accepted that Mrs Henry's dismissal was 'part of his plan to reduce costs'. But, she added: 'Although we have found that his decision to choose [Mrs Henry] was also significantly influenced by her disability related absence... 'The discriminatory impact on the claimant of being dismissed whilst off sick and being treated for cancer was severe. 'She lost her employment at a point when she was least able to find an alternative.' EJ Findlay continued: 'The dismissal came when [Mrs Henry] was at her lowest point given her cancer diagnosis and the fact that she had complications after her surgery... 'This has caused her considerable anguish as she felt let down by the [business], having trusted Mr Parker. 'These feelings of upset, worry and shame came at a point when [Mrs Henry] was already (and very understandably) unnerved and distressed by her cancer diagnosis and treatment, adding to her concerns.' Mrs Henry was awarded a total of £14,195.89 in compensation.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
Action threatened over fire-damaged building
Action could be taken against the owner of a building which was damaged by a fire that killed a homeless man last year. Brockley Square in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, has been fenced off since Jamie Parker died in the blaze at the former Yates wine bar in March 2024. The structure has been made secure but issues at the site including rough sleepers, anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and trespassing are still being reported, according to Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The authority said it had made "numerous attempts" to contact the owner, who has not been identified, but they had failed to engage. Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing and planning, said: "We will continue our attempts to liaise with the building owner and will not hesitate to take enforcement action against them if they fail to take the necessary action to make the building safe and secure." Firefighters were called to the blaze at the site at about 05:45 GMT on 12 March 2024 and Mr Parker's body was found a day later. An inquest on Wednesday heard he had started the fire to try and keep warm before it quickly got out of control The other homeless men who were in the building with him managed to escape but the fire was too extensive for Mr Parker to be rescued, assistant coroner Lindsey Tonks said. She ruled that his death was misadventure and described it as a tragic event. Shortly after Mr Parker died, his sister Stephanie said he was a "beautiful person" who had "everything going for him" before his life began to spiral after suffering a brain injury in 2011. The issues were exacerbated by a drug addiction, then by the deaths of their eldest sister in 2015 and their mum in 2020. Ms Parker said: "I miss him a lot. I've missed him for years even before he was gone, with the road he went down." "He deserved better, he really did deserve better," she added. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Homeless man started fire to keep warm - inquest Sister's tribute to brother found dead after fire Family tribute to man who died in wine bar fire Body found in building after wine bar fire Stoke-on-Trent City Council
BBC News
17-05-2025
- BBC News
Action threatened over fire-damaged building in Stoke-on-Trent
Action could be taken against the owner of a building which was damaged by a fire that killed a homeless man last Square in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, has been fenced off since Jamie Parker died in the blaze at the former Yates wine bar in March structure has been made secure but issues at the site including rough sleepers, anti-social behaviour, fly-tipping and trespassing are still being reported, according to Stoke-on-Trent City authority said it had made "numerous attempts" to contact the owner, who has not been identified, but they had failed to engage. Councillor Chris Robinson, cabinet member for housing and planning, said: "We will continue our attempts to liaise with the building owner and will not hesitate to take enforcement action against them if they fail to take the necessary action to make the building safe and secure." Firefighters were called to the blaze at the site at about 05:45 GMT on 12 March 2024 and Mr Parker's body was found a day inquest on Wednesday heard he had started the fire to try and keep warm before it quickly got out of controlThe other homeless men who were in the building with him managed to escape but the fire was too extensive for Mr Parker to be rescued, assistant coroner Lindsey Tonks ruled that his death was misadventure and described it as a tragic event. Shortly after Mr Parker died, his sister Stephanie said he was a "beautiful person" who had "everything going for him" before his life began to spiral after suffering a brain injury in issues were exacerbated by a drug addiction, then by the deaths of their eldest sister in 2015 and their mum in Parker said: "I miss him a lot. I've missed him for years even before he was gone, with the road he went down.""He deserved better, he really did deserve better," she added. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- BBC News
Hanley wine bar fire victim lit it for warmth
A homeless man who died in a fire had lit it to keep warm, but it quickly spread, consuming the derelict building, an inquest has Parker was found a day after a severe blaze at the former Yates wine bar on Brockley Square, in Hanley, in March body of the 40-year-old could only be recovered later after the structural instability of the building had been assessed and debris removed, and he had to be identified through DNA analysis, his inquest ruling misadventure, Lindsey Tonks, the assistant coroner for Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, concluded the fire was a deliberate act which unintentionally went wrong. Mr Parker was not the only one lighting fires for warmth in the building on 12 March 2024, the inquest heard, but other homeless men managed to escape. However, the coroner said drugs in Mr Parker's system might have affected his reactions and thinking, and the fire was too extensive for him to be rescued. A victim recovery dog was used to search for Mr Parker, who was found in a kitchen area of the former death was deemed to have been caused by the effects of inquest heard how the first and second floors of the building fell down due to the severity of the blaze, and it spread to adjoining investigators believed a naked flame was the most likely cause of the blaze, as the gas and electricity had been cut off after a cannabis grow was found in the building in Tonks described Mr Parker's death as a tragic event. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
