Ex-BBC Countryfile presenter, Miriam O’Reilly, has won her case for unfair dismissal and age discrimination in the Employment Tribunal today.
The presenter had claimed that she had been unfairly dropped from the popular rural affairs show when it was moved to a primetime Sunday evening slot in April 2009. The BBC tried to argue that her removal from the show was nothing to do with her age, but down to the fact that audiences wanted ‘higher profile’ presenters.
The Employment Tribunal agreed with Ms O’Reilly and it is expected that she will receive approximately £100,000 in damages, including loss of earnings and injury to feelings.
Employment Solicitor, Paul Burton, reflects on what employers in Dorset and Hampshire can learn from this. "In its ruling the tribunal criticised the BBC for the 'lack of documentation' about the decision making process that led to younger presenters being hired for Countryfile's peaktime move, and the 'failure to apply a formal procedure'. This was not in itself evidence of discrimination, but it makes it much more difficult for the respondent company to explain the decisions and state with clarity the grounds upon which the decisions were taken. This underlines the importance of having up to date and relevant wording in HR procedures and employment contracts. Our team will happily look over your policy documents to ensure they are appropriate for your business at no charge - please get in touch if you are interested."