A senior lecturer at Huddersfield University has won a pay out after he was sacked unfairly for refusing demands to do a PhD. Jonathan Duxbury, 57, was successful at Leeds Employment Tribunal after a legal battle following the university bringing in new rules by the vice chancellor Prof Bob Cryan who has been pushing a new policy that requires all senior teaching staff to hold the lofty qualification.
Duxbury enrolled in the doctoral study but two years later his line manager recommended he visit his GP as he was showing signs of stress at work. Duxbury told his GP he felt overworked and that this employer’s expectations of him were unrealistic. He felt that the PhD work was having a negative impact on his mental health.
It was agreed with his line manager that his studies would be suspended for a period of time. However, once this was over he did not re-enrol and the university began disciplinary proceedings against him. He was subsequently sacked and lodged a claim for unfair dismissal.
Employment judge Joanna Wade said: “In our judgment requiring PhD study and completion was undoubtedly a change to the claimant’s contract of employment, or to put it in another way, it was out with his contract”. Compensation for Duxbury will be considered in a hearing at a later date.
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