Cleaner who took 400 days of leave in four years awarded 2 million TL in compensation

Zoe Kitching, who was fired for taking more than 400 days of sick leave over four years, took the hospital where she worked as a cleaner to court. Finding Kitching in the right, the court ordered the hospital to pay 49,147 pounds (2 million TL) in compensation. 

Zoe Kitching took several long-term leaves from her job at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary between 2019 and 2023. The leaves were often taken due to 'complex mental health issues.'

According to the court, Kitching's bosses did not believe their employee was ill. The hospital management, which fired the cleaner Kitching, had refused to pay compensation at the time of dismissal.

Kitching, who was fired without compensation, took the matter to court. In the court case heard in Manchester, England, it was ruled that the Royal Lancaster Infirmary had unfairly dismissed its employee.

According to a report by the Manchester Evening News, the Manchester Employment Tribunal ruled in favor of Zoe Kitching, who had taken 400 days of leave between 2019 and 2023, and ordered the hospital to pay 49,147 pounds (2 million TL) in compensation.

According to court records, Kitching had experienced nervous breakdowns at the workplace at times due to her mental health issues.