Education Update - HR

Published: 7th October 2009

Professor was constructively dismissed
An employment tribunal found that Manuel Graeber was constructively dismissed from his job as a professor of neuropathology at Imperial College after he complained about changes to research costing and authorisation forms that were made without his knowledge.

The professor's relationship with his colleagues subsequently broke down. After being subjected to mal-administered disciplinary procedures, he resigned. The University admitted that it had not followed the correct procedures, but said this was because the professor's conduct was putting colleagues' health at risk.

The tribunal did not accept this argument. It ruled that there had been constructive dismissal even though it agreed that the professor's conduct "gave rise to legitimate concern".

The panel said that had the correct disciplinary procedures been followed, Professor Graeber would have been likely to have received a warning requiring him to accept management authority, but added that he may well have refused to accept this and resigned.