A sacked Fife Women’s Aid worker has claimed she was unfairly treated by the support charity.
Speaking out for the first time since she was dismissed for gross misconduct in June 2014, Lesley Clunas claimed her former employer failed to listen to her side of the story.
A subsequent Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) hearing found Ms Clunas, 49, guilty of using her work mobile phone to excessively call and text another woman, who was not a service user.
While the SSSC said this called into question her suitability to work in social services, it admitted it would be “disproportionate” to strike her off the register and imposed a two year warning.
However, Ms Clunas, who is currently working as a waitress, said the case made it difficult for her to return to the job she loved.
She said: “I know what I did and I’ll regret it for the rest of my life but I think they failed as an employer.
“They should have listened to me. They should have given me more support and looked into it further.”
Ms Clunas, who was experiencing personal problems at the time, claimed there was low morale among staff at Fife Women’s Aid, and said some colleagues were “miserable” at work.
She was dismissed just days after a complaint was raised against her. She found herself claiming hardship payments, and surviving on £44 a week.
However, in November 2014, she was informed by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions that her jobseeker’s allowance sanction would be lifted because “the employer did not provide enough evidence to show that there were sufficient grounds for dismissing Ms Clunas”.
Prior to her dismissal she had been described by bosses as an “articulate, clever and assertive worker” with “intelligence and passion for the job”.
Ms Clunas said: “It’s affected the person I am, and my trust and respect for authority. I expected a bit of support when I told them about my family issues, but there was none.”
She was initially charged under the Telecommunications Act but the Crown did not proceed with the case.
A police report filed in May 2014 described the contents of her calls as “not overtly offensive in language.”
A spokesperson from Fife Women’s Aid said: “FWA has high standards for the conduct of all its staff.
“This staff member was dismissed in 2014 for gross misconduct following an investigation into a complaint from a service user about her conduct.
“Our internal procedures were followed and her appeal was unsuccessful. She registered a claim to an employment tribunal and had the benefit of legal advice, after which her claim was withdrawn.”
