Church Fired Organist Unfairly, Tribunal Rules

Dr. Jenifer Fraser has won an unfair dismissal case against St Mary and St Peter Church in Staines, Surrey, after being let go from her role as Director of Music in June 2020. An employment tribunal found her sacking to be “manifestly unfair” and handled in an “irregular” way.

Background

Dr. Fraser had been the Director of Music at the church since 2010, leading choir practices, playing the organ, and running a hand bell group. However, in 2020, the church’s committee decided to make her role redundant, claiming that others could take on her duties for less pay.

The decision was mainly driven by financial concerns, as Dr. Fraser’s salary was considered “very high” for the parish’s budget. Even though an anonymous donor offered to cover her salary, the church chose not to accept the help and proceeded with the redundancy.

Tribunal Judgment

Feeling unfairly treated, Dr. Fraser took her case to an employment tribunal, claiming unfair dismissal, sex discrimination, and race discrimination. While the discrimination claims were dismissed, the tribunal agreed that her dismissal was unfair.

Judge Judith George pointed out that the church’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) made the decision without proper consultation or warning. In fact, they only held one meeting in January 2020 to discuss her role, and the decision to make it redundant was made on the spot. This lack of communication and consultation played a big part in the ruling.

The tribunal also noted that Dr. Fraser’s departure seemed to affect the church’s congregation size. Several community members expressed concerns that without a professional Director of Music, the church’s musical tradition would suffer. Some even worried that parishioners might stop attending or donating.

Commentary

Jenifer Fraser’s case highlights the importance of procedural fairness when making decisions. The parish church’s failure to adhere to proper redundancy procedures and lack of clear communication inevitably led to a tribunal ruling against them.

For employers, it serves as a reminder of the critical importance of following the correct legal and procedural requirements when balancing cost-cutting and an employee's role. This case also highlights the need for clear communication when making decisions about an employee's role.

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