UK Treasury reforms disciplinary process after PA's suicide
The UK Treasury is overhauling its disciplinary procedures after an inquest heard that flawed internal practices contributed to the suicide of a 26-year-old employee.
Chloe Moffat took her own life the day after being confronted without warning by managers over an anonymous complaint. The 26-year-old personal assistant had worked at the department for almost three years with an exemplary record, and had even been awarded a bonus for good work that she never received.
An inquest at Surrey coroner’s court heard Moffat was summoned to a meeting without prior notice of its subject or the attendance of a senior manager. She was accused of sharing confidential information from a director’s email inbox and was immediately stripped of her access to that inbox and diary.
Management failures
The proceedings have exposed critical flaws in how one of Britain’s most important government departments handles employee welfare. When a visibly distressed Moffat asked to have her best friend attend the meeting, the senior manager refused, telling the court: "Any alternative attendee would have made the meeting feel more formal."
Managers also withheld basic reassurances about her employment status. When asked by the coroner why Moffat was not given advance notice to seek support, the senior manager claimed: "No, this could cause unnecessary stress." A senior HR business partner added that telling Moffat she was unlikely to be dismissed would have been "unhelpful".
The isolation was compounded by her line manager, who was simultaneously assigned as Moffat’s "pastoral care" but instructed her not to discuss the allegations with colleagues. Shortly after the meeting, a friend received a text from Moffat reading: "I am going to be fired."
The two met in St James’s Park, where Moffat broke down in tears and expressed deep concern over the reputational damage of the allegations. Friends and colleagues described her as someone who took great pride in her work and never made a mistake.
Calls for reform
Anne Moffat told the court that her daughter had been left devastated and convinced she had lost her job. "The evidence establishes a clear sequence of events. Had Chloe been properly supported and advised of her rights before the meeting, she would not have been so devastated and isolated," she said.
The family is demanding the Treasury require mental welfare assessments during disciplinary proceedings and ensure employees are immediately informed of their rights when serious misconduct is alleged. The inquest continues.
The Treasury is now piloting new advice for staff dealing with disciplinary matters and managers are receiving additional training. Despite the policy shifts, Moffat’s line manager insisted no mistakes were made, telling the court: "No, I think we did all we could at the time with the information and advice we were given."
