Bullying and Harassment

Vicky Gray made this Freedom of Information request to Brighton and Hove City Council

The request was successful.

From: Vicky Gray

4 December 2008

Dear Sir/Madam

I would like to know how many employees of the city council have
been absent from work due to either stress, anxiety, depression or
any combination of those ailments between 1st August 2004 and 31st
October 2008.

Please also confirm how many complaints of bullying have been made
by employees of the council against managers or colleagues during
the same period.

Please confirm how many employees have claimed constructive
dismissal within the same period for bullying/harassment.

Please confirm how many claims have been filed against the city
council at the Employment Tribunal within the same period for
bullying/harassment.

I would ask that you remember the statutory duty imposed upon
public authorities by virtue of Section 16 of the Freedom of
Information Act to provide advice and assistance to requesters. If
for any reason you are leaning toward rejecting any part of this
request or if you plan to argue that it is unmanageable or
unanswerable in any way then I would expect you to contact me
promptly to find ways to answer this request to our mutual
satisfaction.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

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From: Freedom Of Information
Brighton and Hove City Council

5 December 2008

Thank you for your request for information and I confirm we shall
respond as quickly as possible but not later than 8 January 2009.

Wendy Kassamani
Information Compliance Officer
Brighton & Hove City Council
Tel: 01273 296636

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From: Vicky Gray

6 December 2008

Dear Ms Kassamani

Thank you for your prompt response. I would also clarify when I
mentioned constructive dismissal, I was referring to the employee
directly, similar point about bullying and harassment complaints,
there is no Employment Tribunal claim called "bullying and
harassment". This will usually form part of a claim for unfair
dismissal or one (or more) of the various discrimination claim
and/or under the Protection from Harassment Act. Could you provide
the information on the aforementioned.

Could you provide the information in electronic format via this
website.

Thank you for your full co-operation

Yours Sincerely

Vicky Gray

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From: Vicky Gray

8 January 2009

Dear Freedom Of Information

You have not replied to my FOI request within the 20 working days
you are allowed by law.

Kindly address yourselves to this matter immediately and explain
your lack of response.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

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From: Freedom Of Information
Brighton and Hove City Council

12 January 2009

The information has not been fully compiled due to sickness of a key
member of staff. I am assured that this member of staff will return to
work today and we should receive a complete response early this week.

Apologies for this unavoidable delay.

Wendy Kassamani
Information Compliance Officer
Brighton & Hove City Council
Tel: 01273 296636

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From: Wendy Kassamani
Brighton and Hove City Council

15 January 2009

Regarding your request for information under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000: Ref: foi/549/08

Please find set out below the information in response to the above
request:

Q1. I would like to know how many employees of the city council have

been absent from work due to either stress, anxiety, depression or

any combination of those ailments between 1st August 2004 and 31st

October 2008.

There were 2840 instances of sickness absence due to stress recorded for
the said period. Total Employees who claimed Stress/ Anxiety/ Depression
related sickness were 1451

Q2. Please also confirm how many complaints of bullying have been made

by employees of the council against managers or colleagues during

the same period.

75 complaints of bullying & harassment were registered in the considered
period.

Q3. Please confirm how many employees have claimed constructive

dismissal within the same period for bullying/harassment.

None

Q4. Please confirm how many claims have been filed against the city

council at the Employment Tribunal within the same period for

bullying/harassment.

None were bought solely on bullying/harassment grounds. However, 11
claims had bullying and/or harassment as PART ONLY of their claim.

Should you have any queries concerning this request please contact me,
remembering to quote the reference number shown above.

If you are not satisfied how your request has been handled, you can
appeal. Please write to:

Freedom of Information Appeals

Room 218

Brighton & Hove City Council

Hove Town Hall

Norton Road

Hove BN3 4AH

[1][email address]

If you have any queries regarding this process, please contact me via the
contact details below.

If you are still not satisfied after your complaint has been investigated,
you can escalate your complaint to the Information Commissioners Office.
The contact details are:

The Information Commissioners Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone number: 01625 545745

e-mail: [2][email address]

Website: [3]www.dataprotection.gov.uk

If you have any queries regarding this process, please contact me via the
contact details below.

Wendy Kassamani

Information Compliance Officer

Brighton & Hove City Council

Hove Town Hall

Norton Road

Hove, BN3 4AH

Tel: 01273 296636

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Where information has been supplied, you are advised that the copyright in
that material is owned by Brighton & Hove City Council and/or its
contractor(s) unless otherwise stated. The supply of documents under the
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example, by making multiple copies, publishing and issuing copies to the
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provisions of the Copyright Design and Patents Act 1998 (S.29 and S.30)
for the purposes of research for non-commercial purposes, private study,
criticism, review and news reporting.

Authorisation to re-use copyright material not owned by Brighton & Hove
City Council and/or its contractor(s) should be sought from the copyright
holders concerned.

If you are considering re-using the information disclosed to you through
this request, for any purpose outside of what could be considered for
personal use, then you are required under the Public Sector Re-use of
Information Regulations 2005 to make an Application for Re-use to the
organisation from which you have requested the information. Applications
for Re-Use should be directed to Mr Paul O'Neill at the address above.

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References

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2. mailto:[email address]
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3. http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/
http://www.dataprotection.gov.uk/

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From: Vicky Gray

18 January 2009

Dear Wendy Kassamani

Thank you for providing the correct information and for your full
co-operation. Is it normal procedure for Brighton and Hove Council
to quote copyright law on providing Freedom of Information
requests? What is the registered Trademark of this information
provided? If you are quoting Copyright/Trademark law the
information should be registered at the patents office. When was
the figures for Bullying and Harassment registered at the patents
office?

As a council you would assume you have a Trading Standards office
and know doubt a Trading Standards Officer will be able to assist
you in this matter. Is it not costly to the taxpayers to copyright
every Freedom of Information Request. After all this information
does belong to the Tax payers of Brighton and Hove.

Yours sincerely

Vicky Gray

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From: Wendy Kassamani
Brighton and Hove City Council

19 January 2009

We have a standard template letter which incorporates this section and
which we use for all responses/disclosing information. Of course in
some cases, such as yours, it doesn't apply/isn't relevant.

Wendy Kassamani
Information Compliance Officer
Brighton & Hove City Council
Tel: 01273 296636

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From: Vicky Gray

19 January 2009

Dear Wendy

Thank you for being so helpful and for your full
co-operation.

Have a lovely New Year.

Kindest Regards

Vicky

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Anyone:
Brighton and Hove City Council only: