Manager wins £50,000 payout after bosses fired her wrongly saying she had got drunk at lunchtime when in fact she was drowsy from bipolar medication

Published: 12:47, 13 August 2026 | Updated: 12:49, 13 August 2026 A woman has won a £50,000 payout after bosses wrongly accused her of getting drunk at lunchtime when she became drowsy from taking bipolar medication. Samantha Dallimore went out with a friend for a 30-minute break at a café that did not serve alcohol on the afternoon of March 14, 2024. She returned to work and was 'fine for around 30 to 45 minutes' but soon began to feel 'not right' and 'unwell with impaired speech, drowsiness, and confusion', which she mentioned to a colleague before falling asleep. However, when Ms Dallimore awoke, three colleagues witnessed 'erratic' behaviour which lasted just over an hour – and later reported it to a manager. Ms Dallimore worked as a Customer Liaison Manager at AT Transport Solutions in Corby, Northamptonshire. There were around seven employees and two directors at the company warehouse, which had a reception area and an office. Companies would send vehicles to and from the warehouse to store and transport goods, and it was Ms Dallimore's job to liaise with the businesses hiring them. Ms Dallimore was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2017 and had been taking medication to help with the effects of the condition. Samantha Dallimore worked as a Customer Liaison Manager at AT Transport Solutions in Corby, Northamptonshire (file image) On the morning of the incident, one of the company directors described the transport manager as 'frozen out' of work – adding that her jobs were being given to someone else. Ms Dallimore reported feeling 'a little low' but at 2pm to 2.30pm she went out for lunch with a friend at a local industrial café called Tuckers. She did not have any alcohol or recreational drugs but said she did 'take her bipolar medication at lunch, unusually, because she normally takes it in the evening, because it can make her drowsy'. She returned to work an hour later and 'was fine for around 30 to 45 minutes'. Three colleagues then witnessed the behaviour which lasted just over an hour, reporting it to a manager at the end of the day instead of asking Ms Dallimore if she was ok.  Ms Dallimore left once the working day had finished to drive herself home after 'asking if people had seen her car keys'. She 'found them and apparently dropped something as she was leaving'. No one asked if she had drunk anything or taken drugs and everyone let her drive herself home. A director heard what had happened and he asked a manager, Mr Murray, to investigate. Mr Murray suspended her the next day without telling her the reason for her dismissal, until she received a letter almost a week later on March 19. It said: 'It is alleged that on March 14 2024 you went out for lunch and returned to work under the influence and were not in a fit state to work. 'This is a serious health and safety breach and as such could result in dismissal for gross misconduct.' A witness statement from another member of staff said Ms Dallimore had been 'normal' before lunch and 'upon her return seemed out of sorts, her eyes rolling and with an out of it look'. The letter mentioned 'erratic conversation with mumbled speech' and that 'she fell asleep at her desk before waking to go home'. Another statement said she was 'completely out of it as if she was high/drunk her eyes rolling and slurring her speech'. After being notified of the disciplinary action, Ms Dallimore raised a grievance that the situation 'affected her mental health, referring directly to her bipolar disorder' – but it was not dealt with. A disciplinary hearing went ahead on March 25. Ms Dallimore told Mr Murray she had said to another member of staff at the time: 'I don't feel right. I feel drowsy'. She 'questioned whether it was not a breach of health and safety for her colleagues to take no action letting her drive home and not asking her if she was okay or needed a medic'. The manager also listed 20 health conditions that could have caused the symptoms, such as ataxia, epilepsy, a stroke – also mentioning her bipolar medication. However, Mr Murray said that even if it was due to her medication, she was getting fired 'regardless'. On April 25, he wrote to Ms Dallimore about the conclusion of the hearing, saying: 'We said alcohol or drugs, you mentioned meds. 'Regardless of what's said this is gross misconduct. With everything taken into account we are terminating your contract for gross misconduct.' Ms Dallimore was 'upset' and appealed the decision, with her own mother writing: 'The doctor having informed her that yes, it was likely a bipolar episode and has referred her back to the hospital where he has advised that she ask for a letter confirming/explaining this.' However, the appeal was dismissed so Ms Dallimore took the transport company to a Cambridge Employment Tribunal. Employment Judge Isabel Manley agreed with her claims of disability discrimination, harassment due to her disability and unfair dismissal. Judge Manley said: 'There was no reasonable investigation as Mr Murray paid no attention to [Ms Dallimore's] concerns. 'There were no further questions put to her on bipolar episodes or medication. 'To put it bluntly, there is no other explanation for the manner [Ms Dallimore] was presenting on March 14 as the tribunal has accepted that she did not drink alcohol or take any recreational drugs. 'The accusation being under the influence of drink/drugs was made on very thin evidence. 'The disciplinary action and the dismissal which followed thereafter were not necessary in the circumstances and did not amount to a proportionate means of achieving that legitimate aim. 'There is a clear discriminatory effect of [the company's] actions because [Ms Dallimore] is a person with a disability.' Ms Dallimore has now been awarded £49,612 by the tribunal, consisting of £20,989 for damages from discrimination, £20,955 for injury to feelings, £5,668 for future losses, a £1,557 basic award and a £441 compensatory award.