The parents of Chloe Moffat, a 26-year-old Treasury employee, are questioning the circumstances surrounding a meeting they believe contributed to their daughter's death by suicide on May 20 of last year. A coroner's ruling earlier this month found that the Treasury had "materially contributed" to Ms. Moffat's death due to failures in adhering to its own human resources procedures.
Ms. Moffat, described as having an "exemplary employment record" over nearly three years, was called into a meeting on May 19 last year, which she initially believed to be routine. Instead, she was confronted by her line manager and a senior manager regarding accusations of sharing sensitive information with colleagues, including details about a coworker's job change, a relationship between two staff members, and salary information. Her parents, Anne and David Moffat, have characterized these allegations as "office gossip" and "vexatious claims."
During the meeting, Ms. Moffat repeatedly asked if her job was at risk and requested to be accompanied by a friend, but both requests were denied. The senior manager stated that the outcome could "not [be] predict[ed] at this stage." Ms. Moffat's parents expressed confusion over why she was "ambushed" without prior verification of the claims' validity.
Following the meeting, Ms. Moffat discovered she was locked out of her emails and was instructed not to discuss the allegations with colleagues. She messaged a friend expressing fear of being fired and later met with the friend, where she became visibly distressed and cried. She also called her mother, who was abroad at the time, and conveyed her conviction that she would lose her job.
Assistant coroner Anna Crawford concluded that Ms. Moffat's state of mind, particularly her belief that she would be dismissed, likely influenced her decision to take her own life. The coroner's report highlighted that had Treasury disciplinary policy been followed, Ms. Moffat would likely have received a written warning at most, and dismissal was improbable.
A Prevention of Future Deaths report has been sent to the Treasury and the head of the civil service. The Treasury has stated it is carefully considering the findings and has implemented improvements to its support and wellbeing arrangements for employees accused of misconduct. The department has also indicated it is working to respond to the coroner's findings and has scheduled a meeting with Ms. Moffat's parents to hear their views and provide updates on the department's actions.