Stress Awards Set to Reduce?

Charles Wynn-Evans, head of employment for Dechert (London), discusses recent stress-related cases. The recent Court of Appeal decisions overturned three damages awards against employers in stress-related claims and set out guidelines that could reverse the trend towards huge damages claims in such future cases. These decisions provide some comfort to employers that some realism will now be introduced into stress related litigation. The judgment is a clear warning to employees that only the most compelling claims will succeed. Employers however cannot be complacent and should take adequate precautions against stress in the workplace or leave themselves open to employees’ stress absences and the threat of litigation.