Nursery manger Elaine Brassington was on maternity leave when Pebbles nursery in Uppingham, Rutland, shut earlier this year because it was making a loss.
The owner, Robert Shannon, continues to run several nursery businesses under different names. They include five nurseries in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire that were previously part of the Pebbles group, which have been re-named Child Space.
Mrs Brassington, who had worked at the nursery for three years and planned to return to work in March, heard about the closure from a colleague.
After failing to secure any redundancy pay she took her employer, Childcare and Learning (Pebbles), to Leicester employment tribunal on 24 August and was awarded £12,437 for unfair dismissal and £700 for breach of contract.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here