A former Royal Mint human resources manager could receive a £1.7m payout after winning a discrimination claim against the Welsh based coin maker.
Sarah Bradley, 57, resigned from her £123,000-a-year role at the Royal Mint but later sought to reverse her decision citing mental health issues at the time.
Ms Bradley worked for the Royal Mint between 2009 and 2022 and was the organisation’s director of HR for her final seven years with the firm.
The Cardiff employment tribunal heard that before her resignation, Bradley was incredibly critical of the Royal Mint’s CEO Anne Jessop.
In her submission against her former employer, Ms Bradley claimed she had faced discrimination based on her disability and her sex.
The tribunal heard Ms Bradley resigned from her position in June 2022 after her doctor made changes to medication treating her mental health and menopause.
A few weeks after submitting her resignation, Ms Bradley approached the Royal Mint and explained the situation regarding changes to her medication which had affected her mental health and wellbeing.
The tribunal accepted the Royal Mail had failed to adequately consider the affect Ms Bradley’s new medication could have had on her decision to resign from her post.
The judge ruled that Ms Bradley was suffering from depression, anxiety as well as ADHD at the time she handed in her notice.
Judge Moore said the ADHD could explain ‘problem areas’ such as ‘impulsiveness’ and ‘extreme reactions to criticisms’ on her decision to quit.
Ms Bradley, who is now a consultant at the professional services firm Turner and Townsend.
She told Wales Online: ‘I am so relieved at the decision but remain heartbroken at how I was treated.
‘I have been and will continue to be a passionate advocate for mental health. It need not be a barrier and I had 13 extremely successful years at the mint, eventually being appointed to a director position.
‘If only they’d allowed a short time to let my meds be corrected, well, as I used to joke with my husband, they’d only have got me out of there in box. The only consolation is I soon secured another full-time job in January 2023 and I am finding there is a good life to be enjoyed elsewhere.’
During the hearing, Ms Bradley said her mental health issues ‘sometimes had a negative effect on her relationships with others’.
Just weeks before she resigned, she received a 6.25 per cent pay increase.
The hearing was told that Ms Bradley decided to resign after she was described as a ‘bully’ by a colleague.
This action was described as an ‘impulsive decision purely out of emotion, anxiety, and humiliation’.
She told the tribunal: ‘Without thinking about it I walked straight into Anne’s office and told her that I had told [another colleague] that I was leaving and that Anne better tell everyone else. I was on a really good package which it would make no sense to walk away from by resigning.’
Speaking to WalesOnline, a representative of the mint asserted: ‘The tribunal found in favour of the Royal Mint on three of the four counts. We are carefully considering the judgement and seeking expert advice. The wellbeing of our employees is a top priority and we are committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive workplace for all.’