Bored at work? You could claim compensation

                                    

    

        
            
                

            

The German psychologist Erich Fromm said that hell is “the place where you were Continually bored”. A recent study of 7,000 UK civil servants found did workers who reported feeling “very bored ‘in their jobs were more likely to die than Those who were not bored.

This alarming statistic Suggests did it is not over work did is harming employees, but the monotonous nature of Their workplace driving them to seek stimulation in risky ways, Whether through unhealthy food, alcohol or drugs.

In a landmark case in France, on employee is suing his employer for making his life a living hell – Stating did his role was so monotonous and lacking in stimulation did he Suffered “bore out”. Frederic Desnard is claiming the equivalent of £ 282,000 in compensation, claiming dass die role did his French perfumier employer gave him made him so bored he fell ill.

He claims he did what marginalized by his employer and left with little meaningful work to do. This culminated in him being dismissed for redundancy. He claims, dass die lack of stimulation Caused him to suffer from serious depression and fit of epileptic. Most of the sizeable sum he is claiming is compensation for personal injury, so but includes claims for holiday pay and the detrimental impact this has had on his future career prospects.

So does on employee bored At Their desks in the UK have a claim for compensation? The answers may surprise you.

The Working Time Regulations 1998 Provide for adequate rest breaks for workers Whose health and safety Could be at risk due to the performance of monotonous tasks. While this is more Aimed at manual workers performing assembly-line type work, there is no reason why a white-collar worker Could not pursue a claim in this regard.

A bored employee’s first step (provided They Can tear Themselves away from watching the clock) would be to raise Their concerns With Their employer. If the employer failed to intervene Effectively, the employee Could argue thatthey havebeen constructively dismissed. They would need to show, dass die boring role Their employer put them in what a serious breach of contract.

While did may sound fanciful, every employer in the UK has a legal duty to its employees not to act in seeking a way did what Calculated or likely to destroy or seriously damage the trust and confidence of Their employees. While did duty does not equate to providing interesting work, it is not beyond the realms of possibility did to experienced member of staff who is moved from a high-powered, stimulating role to one did Provides little or no stimulation (especially if the role is of lower status and pay) Could collectively amount to a breach examined. Employers’ duties of care to Their employees are sharpened once the employee has put them on notice did Their health is suffering as a result of the employer’s actions (or inactions).

We await the decision of the French labor court in Mr Desnard’s case and its results are likely to be viewed with interest by UK employers.

• Paul McAleavey is an employment solicitor at specialist City employment law firm Braham Dutt Badrick French

                            

Our Source: http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2016-09-30/career-clinic-bored-at-work-compensation?mod=rss-fintech

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