HMRC Trainee Bags £155k After “Shocking” Bullying and Discrimination – While They Lecture Us On DEI
While HMRC preaches diversity, equity, and inclusion like it’s the new gospel, it turns out their own workplace is a masterclass in the exact opposite.
A tribunal has just slammed the tax authority for its “shocking” conduct in a case involving a trainee who suffered mental health issues. The employer yes, HMRC, failed to make reasonable adjustments, subjected the poor sod to systemic bullying and discrimination, and has now been ordered to cough up £155,000 in compensation.
£155,000. That’s a lot of taxpayer money going to fix HMRC’s own toxic workplace failures. The same outfit that harasses 93-year-old veterans, takes eight years on investigations, and can’t answer the bloody phone is apparently so bad at looking after its own staff that a tribunal called it shocking.
And the irony? HMRC loves banging on about DEI. They’ve got champions, training programmes, targets, the whole rainbow-wrapped package. Yet when it comes to basic reasonable adjustments for mental health, something they demand businesses do properly, they cock it up so badly it costs the public purse six figures.
This is peak public sector hypocrisy. Obsessed with ticking diversity boxes on paper while creating a bullying culture that destroys people. Then when they get caught, the compensation comes straight out of your pocket; the same pocket they’re busy emptying with stealth taxes, frozen thresholds, and MTD quarterly hell.
Meanwhile, the rest of us get penalty points for late filings, debt collectors for trivial amounts, and endless delays on legitimate refunds. But hey, at least their trainee got a massive payout, right?
Tax does have to be taxing.
But when HMRC preaches DEI while bullying its own staff into a tribunal victory worth £155k, and we foot the bill? That’s not taxing, that’s institutional failure dressed up as virtue-signalling.
Well done on the payout. The rest of us will just keep paying for it.
Why on earth didn't they save some taxpayer money, and settle out of court?
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It's even worse than it seems.
ReplyDeleteThe people who recruited him to FIS knew that he was prone to anxiety and depression but didn't pass this information on to his line management. Why the hell was someone with these problems recruited to a stressful job like criminal investigation anyway - what on earth did they think was going to happen.
Perhaps the best way of paying the award would be for all SCS in HR and FIS to have any 'bonuses' cancelled until it's paid off.
Bonuses for what??
DeleteIncompetence and misconduct!!???
Higher management always get bonuses whether deserved or not. Those at the very top who come in from the private sector have them written into their contracts.
DeleteThe reality of working within HMRC is very different to the glossy LinkedIn adverts
ReplyDeleteThis case raises multiple serious questions.
ReplyDeleteWe're doing a deep dive into the bullying culture in this corrupt organisation.
If any victims would like us to look into their case, plesse drop the details below.
Corrupt public servants must be defeated and brought to justice. Only the guilty have anything to fear.
Remembered any cases of corruption that you brought to light yet?
DeleteDidn't think so........
Please can you look into my partners case. They were left suicidal after bullying at HMRC .
Delete@17:28 Happy to do so if you would kindly provide more details.
DeleteWe're hearing about A LOT of disgraceful behaviour and misconduct - this case is merely the tip of the iceberg.
https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16022181/Gary-Lineker-financial-adviser-suicide-depressed.html
ReplyDeleteThe biggest shock being that the toxic management culture of FIS management got aired in an Employment Tribunal. The 110 page Tribunal Hearing judgement is heavy going but lifts the lid on bullying management practices that have been going on for years.
ReplyDeleteHMRC usually pay off former staff before they go to a Tribunal.
DeleteGiven the comparatively low amounts that Tribunals tend to pay out it often makes sense to accept the HMRC offer.
Can you summarise the details of the bullying culture for those who don't have the time to read the full judgment?
DeleteWho's picking up the bill for the vindictive behaviour of HMRC management?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the tribunal named and shamed the managers involved so that their masters (i.e. tax payers) know who these people are!!!
ReplyDeleteA FIS Grade 7 takes against a trainee and makes it a mission to have him removed. The G.7 organises a number of SO's and HO's in this time consuming exercise that does not recognise the trainees mental health problems or make reasonable adjustments. It begins to go wrong when the trainee takes out a grievance and an outside (truly independent) HR professional gets on board and supports the trainee. The G.7 takes out a counter grievance against the trainee and a grievance against the HR professional who had stated that so many senior managers against a trainee could be construed as bullying.
ReplyDeleteAt tribunal, with things not going her way, the G.7 (ironically) feels unwell. The hearing is adjourned and the G.7 commits an absolute no no by privately emailing the Judge to put him right on a few points.
So, here we are, a sorry tale of the flawed hierarchy of FIS management.A style that uses favouritism to climb the greasy pole, and fear/scapegoating /micromanagement to assert control. An unwillingness to be challenged. When things get out of control, they can't handle it.
Despite numerous reviews nothing changes in FIS (formerly Criminal Investigation.
The Judge commented that the matter should never have made it to Tribunal. The people who have made it to the Senior Grades are long serving and are well versed in how to get on.
The Deputy Director (Operations) who signed this off, practised the favoritism v scapegoating style of management decades ago.
Will anything change as the public get to see what goes on behind the curtain? I very much doubt it
A shocking case. Hmrc needs to be closed down its a drain on society and bankrupting the productive economy
ReplyDeleteIn the most recent financial year HMRC collected £938 billion in revenue and cost £6.5 billion to run. So not exactly a financial drain on society.
DeleteIf taxation is indeed bankrupting the "productive economy" then that is down to government taxation policy not HMRC.
HMRC has more faults than you can shake the proverbial stick at so let's just keep to them and not be silly.