What Is Going Off Here, Is All This Fair?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2703153/Former-head-social-services-Baby-P-council-Sharon-Shoemith-wins-679-000-pay-unfair-dismissal.html

The head of social services who was sacked over the 'Baby P' case is awarded a £679,000 pay-out for unfair dismissal, and the little tot's mother who was jailed indefinitely in 2009, was let out in October following a second Parole Board review of her case.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2703153/Former-head-social-services-Baby-P-council-Sharon-Shoemith-wins-679-000-pay-unfair-dismissal.html#ixzz38NNt9VEb
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[wolf63]

Nobody said life would be fair....

[Gromit]

Simple.

There are laws about how to dismiss people, and in her case the law was broken. So she is due money for being incorrectly sacked.

This should be a lesson to all Ministers who pander to the rage of the tabloids and break the law in their haste to get a few votes. Ministers are not above the law and Ed Balls acted recklessly.

[New Judge]

She was awarded the cash because she was unfairly dismissed. This was mainly because Ed Balls (the "Children's Secretary" at the time - whatever that might be) refused to follow advice and adopt the proper procedures for her dismissal. It was a great piece of PR for him at the time (as he was seen to be "doing something") and the good burghers of Harringey subsequently picked up the bill.

[ludwig]

// Is All This Fair? //

No. She was crap at her job, and needed sacking. Balls didn't follow due procedure though, so we've arrived at the situation where a child's tragic death has turned into a lottery win for someone who didn't actually deserve a penny.

I'd like to think she feels a good deal of guilt and shame over the whole affair, but I'm fairly certain she feels neither.

[naomi24]

Can't say fairer than that^.

[ladybirder]

Spot on Ludwig.

[boxtops]

Hear hear, ludwig

[jno]

I have no idea how she feels about the whole affair and am impressed that so many people do. But she was sacked in kneejerk response to the sort of execration expressed on AB instead of through proper procedure, so she has got justice.

[naomi24]

jno, no she hasn’t got justice and neither has society. Her dismissal was accomplished by following incorrect procedures, but had the correct procedures been followed, she would have been sacked with no compensation. That would have been justice.

[DrFilth]

and that is correct

[ludwig]

// she was sacked in kneejerk response to the sort of execration expressed on AB //

She was sacked because of an appalling catalogue of incompetence and inaction by the department she was in charge of that ultimately failed to prevent a child being tortured to death.