Stephen Beattie v Sword Security (NI) Limited [2016]

The claimant commenced work for the respondent as a security officer and initially worked as a “floater”, working at different sites where the respondent provided security services to different customers. The respondent’s operations manager informed the claimant that a client had reached a decision to discontinue day time guarding on one site but could offer him night time shifts or day time work at the weekends. 

The claimant alleged that his employer fundamentally breached its contract of employment with him by unilaterally changing his hours of employment and reducing his hours of employment from 48 hours per week to 24 hours per week. In fact, the claimant could have continued with