A call centre worker sacked after claiming Scottish Power was “knowingly” overcharging customers has won a £28,000 payout.
Thippawan MacLean told a tribunal she felt it was neither “legally nor morally appropriate” to ask for payments over the phone based on “estimates” which could be higher than their bills.
Her employers at the call centre in Forres, Moray, fired her after being told by Scottish Power to get rid of “lowest performers” who were “missing opportunities” to take payment from customers and therefore failing to meet targets.
However, an employment tribunal ruled the firm had sided with Scottish Power and then conducted a “sham” disciplinary process to get rid of her.
She has now been awarded £27,861.30 in compensation.
The Scottish tribunal heard the Thai native worked for Kura for almost seven years.
In 2020, she was working in the Home Move team, dealing with customers moving house and starting and ending their utility supply with Scottish Power.
Up until her sacking, she had won awards and bonuses.
But when the pandemic broke out, employees were forced to work from home which led to “problems” in her ability to collect payments.
After receiving insufficient training, her collections dropped to zero.
She also felt it wrong to ask for a final bill based on an “estimated reading” and felt the practice led to “substantial” overbilling.
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