Royal Bank of Scotland v Chaer - Sound reasons are needed for the EAT to overturn a tribunal judgement [2010] EAT

An Employment Tribunal finding that a conduct-related dismissal was unfair based on the employer’s failure to carry out reasonable investigation will be upheld by the EAT where it is clear that the finding was neither perverse  nor a substitution of the Tribunal’s view for that of the employer.

Mr Chaer worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland from 2001. In 2006 he was working as a Senior Business Manager at their Wembley Business Centre. Mr Chaer’s line manager was Mr Leach, an Area Business Manager. In January 2006 Mr Chaer raised concerns about Mr Leach’s treatment of him to Mr Leach directly. Mr Leach did not respond to these but he himself went on to raise concerns about Mr Chaer to the Regional Business Manager. The result of Mr Leach’s action was that a ‘fact-finding’ meeting was scheduled for February 2006 between Mr Chaer and a Business Risk Support Manager.