Khatun v Winn Solicitors Ltd [2021]

The claimant was a solicitor for the respondent.  At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the respondent decided to place around half of its staff on furlough. The remaining staff were to carry on their work and oversee the cases of the furloughed staff.  The claimant was selected to continue working. However, on 23^rd March 2020 the claimant met with the Head of Department who told her of the plans and that everyone would need to vary their contract. 

The decision to vary the contract, she was told, was non-negotiable and if she disagreed, she would likely be met with a dismissal. The threat of dismissal was continued the next day when the Human Resources department