Vet Michelle Beckett Wins £12,758 From CVS Over Constructive Dismissal and Unpaid Overtime
Updated
Updated · The Independent · May 22
Vet Michelle Beckett Wins £12,758 From CVS Over Constructive Dismissal and Unpaid Overtime
1 articles · Updated · The Independent · May 22
£12,758 was awarded to veterinary surgeon Michelle Beckett after a tribunal upheld her claims of unfair constructive dismissal and unlawful wage deductions against CVS.
Long hours, missed lunch breaks and unpaid overtime at CVS's Pet Doctors practice in West Sussex led to burnout and stress-related sick leave, the tribunal heard.
A phased return in March 2024 did not ease the pressure: Beckett said she still could not take lunch breaks, and one day worked more than 10 hours while also helping treat her manager's dog.
The tribunal found CVS then breached its own procedures by turning a May 2024 meeting into an informal disciplinary session, despite knowing about her recent work-related illness and an occupational health report her manager had not read.
Beckett resigned in July 2024, saying the disciplinary action breached CVS's duty of care, and now works as a self-employed locum veterinary surgeon.
A vet won £12k for burnout. Does this expose a crisis threatening the entire corporate veterinary industry?
With tribunal waits doubling, is justice for burned-out workers becoming practically impossible to achieve in the UK?
A manager ignored a health report before a disciplinary. How can employees trust corporations with their well-being?