Faculty of Business
Assignment Title Sheet
Course and Stage: BABSH /BAHRH 3
Lecturer
Subject: Contemporary Employee Relations
Study Mode: Full time X Part-time/blended X
Assignment No.:
Assignment Title: Disciplinary Case Study: Furnworks Ltd
Assignment Brief
You are required to examine one of the following case studies below and answer all the questions
All questions carry equal marks. Please see the Marking Structure and Case Studies below
Original discussion along with referenced research is required in this assignment.
Font size 12
Spacing 1.5
Style- New Times or Arial
Student are required to submit two copies in class and on moodle -turnitin
Word count: 2500 Weighting 40%
Due date: Week 11
Submit assignment to: On Moodle
Learning Outcomes addressed and assessed in this Assignment:
1. Identify constraints upon management decisions in the management of employment relationships.
2. Consider the impact of employment relations practices on organisational stakeholders.
3. Establish the significance of conflict resolution, mediation and negation in the employment relationship.
4. Implement employee relations procedures and practises within organisations
MARKING SCHEME
Category Description Possible Mark % Actual Mark %
Housekeeping Marks will be awarded for the use of an appropriate structure using headings, numbering, logical sequencing of material, correct spelling and grammar. 5%
Introduction Marks will be awarded for evidence of an introduction section which is relevant and detailed so as to inform the reader of the topic being examined 5%
Methodology Marks will be awarded for utilising academic sources which are appropriate for the development of this assignment 6%
Q1
Examine the strengths of the case for the company 17%
Q2 Examine the strengths of the case for the company 17%
Q3
Consider the actions you would recommend Bill takes in his role as General Manager 20%
Q4
Outline the range of all possible options available to Peter Turner in the event that he is dismissed. 20%
Conclusions Marks will be awarded for evidence of a conclusions section which is an analysis of the information gained from the research and writing of this assignment 5%
Referencing Marks will be awarded for the proper use the Harvard Referencing System in answering the questions 5%
Total 100%
Disciplinary Case Study: Furnworks Ltd
Bill Brennan has recently been appointed general manager of Furnworks Ltd, a small to medium-sized furniture company employing fifty people, located in the northwest. The company is unionised but the union is not particularly active and neither is the company a member of an employers’ organisation. In the past the company has had a number of negative experiences with employment legislation. On taking up the position, the directors made it clear to Bill that a major improvement was expected in this area. Bill’s predecessor had left unexpectedly and he heard on the grapevine that one of the reasons why his predecessor ‘was encouraged to leave’ was because of the negative publicity associated with the loss of employment law cases. He heard that the directors had been embarrassed by local press coverage.
Three months after taking up employment the plant manager, Tom Joyce, approaches Bill in connection with a problem that has arisen with an employee named Peter Turner. Peter has been with the company for eight years and Tom informs Bill that he ‘has a history’. About a year ago he was seen in a pub during working hours, being absent from his job without the permission of his supervisor. However, the person who informed the company was not prepared to give evidence and when Turner point-blank denied he had been in the pub on the day in question, the plant manager (Tom Joyce) felt he could not take any action.
About four weeks ago Peter Turner was involved in a lifting incident after which he complained he had hurt his back. Subsequently, he went on sick leave and submitted several sick certificates from his local GP to the effect that he was unable to work due to a back injury. The company has a sick pay scheme. In the written procedure agreement with the union there is a stipulation that ‘any abuse of the sick pay scheme will lead to instant dismissal’.
Last week Tom Joyce received information that Peter Turner was on a sun holiday in the Canary Islands. This alerted Tom Joyce, as Peter Turner is known as a ‘sun worshipper’ because he takes so many sun holidays and always seems to have a suntan (in fact, his nickname is ‘Ra’ after the Egyptian sun god).
Concerned that Turner would deny he had been on holiday, Tom Joyce found out when Turner was due to return, waited in Knock Airport and secretly took a video of him coming out of the arrivals area. He was suitably dressed in colourful holiday gear and accompanied by his wife and three children.
Tom Joyce informs Bill that he has had enough of Turner’s antics and that ‘he has slipped up this time and either he goes or I go’. He goes on to indicate that as per normal company practice he is holding a disciplinary hearing in the morning and ‘will deal with the issue’ if that is okay with Bill.
Bill is a personal friend of yours and he knows you are doing a course in industrial relations. Immediately after Tom Joyce has left the office Bill rings you and asks for advice on the matter because he says ‘he’s worried in case the thing goes wrong’.
Advise Bill using the following questions:
1. Examine the strengths of the case for the company.
2. Examine the weaknesses of the case for the company.
3. Consider the actions you would recommend Bill takes in his role as General Manager.
4. Outline the range of all possible options available to Peter Turner in the event that he is
dismissed.
(Case study source- Wallace, Gunnigle, McMahon – Industrial Relations in Ireland, 2003)

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