A sales manager at a health technology firm was found to have routinely submitted fraudulent expense claims for family takeaway meals, an employment tribunal in Birmingham has ruled. Susannah Bennison, 47, was dismissed from her position at BTL Industries after her conduct was uncovered, and her subsequent claim for unfair dismissal was rejected.
The tribunal heard that Bennison joined the British division of the Czech company in 2019, operating mostly from home while attending trade shows periodically. Over the course of her employment, she allegedly ordered meals from delivery services such as Deliveroo and Just Eat, presenting them as "customer meals" to be reimbursed by the company. This practice included food bought not for business purposes but for her family.
Evidence presented at the hearing included a voice note sent by Bennison to a colleague in 2022, in which she encouraged a more aggressive approach to expense claims. In the message, she said, “I think with this business you gotta act a little bit smarter. And I’ve learned this over the last year I don’t let them get away with anything.” She went on to describe routinely submitting receipts for late-night deliveries as legitimate business expenses and even admitted to charging for family meals, stating she would “take my kids out for a pizza and pasta on a… Thursday night and put the receipt in.”
Following the discovery of these actions, Bennison left the company and initiated legal proceedings alleging unfair dismissal. However, Employment Judge Christopher Camp dismissed her claim, stating that her own admissions amounted to confessions of criminal misconduct. The judge concluded that her behavior warranted dismissal.
Despite dismissing the unfair dismissal claim, the tribunal awarded Bennison compensation of £2,537 for three and a half days of untaken annual leave accumulated during her tenure. The case underscores the legal repercussions of fraudulent expense practices and highlights the importance of accurate reporting in corporate expense policies.