A car mechanic has been awarded £46,000 in compensation after an employment tribunal ruled that he had been dismissed unfairly.
Jason Phur, 39, was sacked from his job at privately-owned Volksline after he complained to the bosses about the practice of over charging customers for work they did not need. He told the tribunal that he had been ordered to fit a new clutch that did not need replacing and that another customer was charged £2,500 after he had to remove the cylinder head on a car when the fault was with the engine control unit.
Any car repair business wishing to eek out extra profits, there are legitimate avenues they can explore rather than dishonest tactics like this. One such approach is to conduct a thorough review of their motor trade insurance policy to ensure they have the best possible cover in place – whether it is getting a better price or obtaining a policy that will offer them greater protection against the financial ramifications of damage, theft or workplace accidents, this is a great way for a car garage to keep more money in their pocket.
Mr Phur told the tribunal that when he confronted the bosses of the garage a meeting was called, wherein an argument broke out between the staff. Three weeks later disciplinary proceedings were brought against Mr Phur and four days after that he was sacked with a letter accusing him of a "negative attitude" at work.
A three-person panel ruled that the reason for his dismissal was "implausible and inconsistent". Whistleblower Mr Phur was awarded £46,000 in compensation.
