Charity CEO Ordered to Pay Employee After 'Screaming Match'
An employment tribunal ruled that the CEO of a UK charity unfairly dismissed a support worker after she complained about his aggressive behavior.
Matthew Gibbs, the CEO of The Carrbridge Centre, a charity in Wirral, Merseyside, has been ordered to pay £2,160 in compensation to a former employee, Julie Mayes. The order comes after an employment tribunal found that Ms. Mayes was unfairly dismissed.
Ms. Mayes began working at the charity in January 2022, providing support to vulnerable families, children, and the elderly. The tribunal heard that over a six-to-eight-month period, Mr. Gibbs's behavior became increasingly erratic, involving shouting, swearing, and throwing objects, which led one volunteer to resign. Ms. Mayes also alleged that Mr. Gibbs used inappropriate sexualized language and, on one occasion, "jumped on a table and gyrated and thrust his hips" in front of the public.
In July 2024, Ms. Mayes raised concerns with two of the charity's trustees about Mr. Gibbs's behavior, explaining that it could be triggering for service users with histories of abuse. Following this meeting, Mr. Gibbs wrongly accused Ms. Mayes of alleging he had committed sexual abuse.
An incident on August 21, 2024, escalated the situation. When a service user complained about crates blocking a doorway, Mr. Gibbs reacted with anger and swearing towards volunteers. Ms. Mayes attempted to intervene between Mr. Gibbs and the volunteers. The tribunal heard that Mr. Gibbs then became angry with Ms. Mayes, screaming in her face and repeatedly stating, "I am the CEO." Ms. Mayes described being "in a state" after this confrontation and was instructed to work from home.
On September 4, 2024, the trustees received an anonymous communication claiming Ms. Mayes had been complaining about Mr. Gibbs in community meetings, which they interpreted as part of a "witch hunt."
A fact-finding meeting with Ms. Mayes was held on September 12, 2024. During this meeting, Ms. Mayes reiterated her concerns about Mr. Gibbs's aggressive incidents and inappropriate behavior, including the sexualized dancing. However, the trustees also questioned her about the anonymous message and community meetings, information she stated she had not been adequately informed about beforehand.
Subsequently, Ms. Mayes was invited to a disciplinary hearing, with a letter accusing her of participating in a group with the "malicious aim of removing the current management and the CEO." She was dismissed for gross misconduct on September 30, 2024. An appeal against the dismissal was unsuccessful.
At the employment tribunal in Liverpool, Employment Judge Alan Johnson ruled that the dismissal was unfair. The tribunal concluded that The Carrbridge Centre failed to properly investigate the claims or adequately consider the evidence, placing undue reliance on an anonymous witness without sufficient detail. While Ms. Mayes also claimed dismissal due to making a protected disclosure, this particular claim was not upheld by the tribunal.