RESEARCH / VERSION 1.1 / 16 OCTOBER 2026
Late disclosure of a drinking problem during a disciplinary appeal
After an unauthorised absence during a period of suspended dismissal, the employee disclosed an alcohol problem at the internal appeal. The EAT considered whether the appeal should have been paused for further investigation. It held that the tribunal had adequately considered the material and was entitled to find the employer acted within the range of reasonable responses.
| Field | Evidence |
|---|---|
| Reference period | 2018-11-14 |
| Coverage | Scotland |
| Status | Appeal; dismissed |
| Source-check date | 2026-10-14 |
| Case reference | Glassford v Royal Mail Group Ltd, UKEATS/0012/18/JW |
| Court / tribunal | Employment Appeal Tribunal (Scotland) |
| Issue | Unfair dismissal; disclosure; reasonable investigation |
| Actual disposition | Employee’s appeal dismissed; the tribunal’s finding of fair dismissal stood. |
| Appeal / later history checked | EAT judgment verified; any further appeal has not been verified. |
| Authority level | Employment Appeal Tribunal — appellate |
| Addiction / medication scope | Late disclosure of alcohol dependency in an internal disciplinary appeal. |
| Targeted history check | Further appeal unverified. This is not blanket permission to disregard a late disclosure. |
| Appellate legal approach | Late material information can require further investigation; the employer's investigation remains assessed for reasonableness in the circumstances. [Source: Paragraph 15] |
| Appellate application and disposition | Here the employer and tribunal had considered the dependency disclosure sufficiently; the appeal was dismissed. [Source: Paragraphs 16–21] |
Paragraph-backed propositions
- Late material information can require further investigation; the employer's investigation remains assessed for reasonableness in the circumstances. Paragraph 15 (Appellate legal approach)
- Here the employer and tribunal had considered the dependency disclosure sufficiently; the appeal was dismissed. Paragraphs 16–21 (Appellate application and disposition)
Interpretation limits
An unfair-dismissal appeal concerning a particular disciplinary history and the investigation undertaken. It does not create a general rule that an employer may disregard a disclosure of dependency or decline all further investigation.
Sources
- HMCTS: Glassford v Royal Mail Group Ltd, reserved appeal judgment — Summary (PDF p. 3); paragraphs 1–4 and the concluding analysis.
- Appellate legal approach — Paragraph 15
- Appellate application and disposition — Paragraphs 16–21
Cite this record
Civil Liberties Action (2026). Addiction and employment law: Late disclosure of a drinking problem during a disciplinary appeal. Record case-glassford-2018, version 1.1, 2026-10-16. https://cla-political-finance.copperchime4.chatgpt.site/databases/releases/2026-10-16-v1.1/records/cases/case-glassford-2018.html
Open the current interactive record · Dataset findings and methods