Case studies · anonymised
Every case below started where you might be now: something had happened, or had been building, and the owner wasn't sure what to do. Each one is real, fully anonymised, and resolved properly.
The common thread: a fair, defensible process, and not one of these ended in a tribunal claim.
Featured situations
Disciplinary
The challenge
Even with clear wrongdoing, dismissing without a proper investigation and hearing usually results in an unfair dismissal finding. The conduct justified dismissal; the process could still have lost it.
What Samantha did
Paused the instinct to dismiss immediately and ran a proper investigation
✓ Dismissal held. No claim.
Redundancy
The challenge
Redundancy has a specific legal process. Get selection, consultation or timing wrong across four people and you multiply the risk of unfair dismissal claims.
What Samantha did
Confirmed a genuine redundancy situation and a fair selection basis
✓ Four exits. No claims.
Workplace investigations
The challenge
An investigation seen as biased is worse than none at all. The owner needed genuine independence to reach a conclusion both sides, and a tribunal, would accept as fair.
What Samantha did
Acted as a genuinely independent investigator outside the relationships involved
✓ Independent finding. It held.
Grievance
A long-standing senior employee accused the owner of unfair treatment.
No claim. The employee stayed.
View case study →Grievance
A written grievance alleged bullying by a line manager.
No claim. A decision that held.
View case study →Disciplinary
An employee had been falsifying timesheets for three months.
Dismissal held. No claim.
View case study →Disciplinary
Two informal warnings in six months had changed nothing.
Behaviour changed. No escalation.
View case study →Long-term sickness absence
She'd been off for months. No one knew what to say.
Back at work. No formal process needed.
View case study →Long-term sickness absence
47 days off in a year, all certified, all different conditions.
Absence dropped sharply. No formal process.
View case study →Performance and capability
He'd never met the standard, and everyone knew it.
Fair exit. No claim.
View case study →Redundancy
A lost contract meant four roles had to go.
Four exits. No claims.
View case study →Settlement & exit
Both sides knew it was over. Neither knew how to end it.
Clean agreed exit. No tribunal.
View case study →Workplace investigations
One employee accused another of harassment.
Independent finding. It held.
View case study →Probation and new starters
Three months in, the client-facing hire was not working out.
Clean exit. Nothing raised.
View case study →Difficult behaviour
Promotion went to his head, and the team felt it.
Behaviour fixed. Nobody lost.
View case study →Workplace conflict
Two team leads had stopped speaking, and the team was picking sides.
Relationship repaired. Both stayed.
View case study →Difficult conversations
Something was off with a good employee, but nothing formal had happened yet.
Fixed in one conversation.
View case study →Restructure
Growth had outpaced the structure, and roles had started to overlap and clash.
Restructured. No redundancies, no claims.
View case study →Restructure
The business had to change shape, and two roles genuinely no longer fitted.
Completed. Fair exits, no claims.
View case study →Disciplinary
An aggressive outburst towards a colleague crossed the line into gross misconduct.
Dismissal held. No claim. Colleague protected.
View case study →Settlement & exit
A senior, client-facing employee resigned, and the owner feared they would take the client book with them.
Clean exit. Clients kept.
View case study →Difficult behaviour
Brilliant with clients, difficult with colleagues, and everyone knew it was being tolerated.
Behaviour fixed. Biller kept. Team kept.
View case study →Flexible working
A key employee asked to drop a day, but the client-facing role genuinely needed the cover.
Fair outcome. Employee kept. No claim.
View case study →Disciplinary
A late-night social media post threatened the firm's name, and the owner wanted to act fast.
Reputation protected. Decision held.
View case study →No case studies match that search. Try a different word, or take the Situation Check.
Every case handled personally by Samantha Newton FCIPD, Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, with 25+ years' experience.
★★★★★ 5.0 on Google reviews →"Samantha helped us with a long-term sickness matter and saved us from expensive employment law issues. A stressful situation handled in a fair and human way."
"She stepped in at short notice and supported us through a difficult HR issue. We've decided to continue working with her for all of our HR needs."
Dealing with something similar?
Book a free 20-minute call and talk it through with Samantha directly. Or start with the free Situation Check to understand exactly what you're dealing with.
Samantha Newton FCIPD · Chartered Fellow · 25+ years' experience
All case studies are anonymised. Business sectors, names and identifying details have been removed or changed. Outcomes reflect the specific circumstances of each case and are not a guarantee of any particular result.
