WIRRAL Borough Council's £47,000 out-of-court settlement to a teacher suffering from stress of work could set a precedent for a barrage of similar claims from Wirral, the North West Branch of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) has warned. Muriel Benson, of Bebington, is believed to be the first teacher in the country to be awarded such a lump sum for stress suffered at work.

"I have reluctantly gone public because I feel that what happened to me was preventable and I want my case to act as a warning to other employers," said 60-year-old Mrs Benson. "I feel bereaved at the sudden loss of my career and angry that my employers did nothing to assist me or other colleagues who ended up in similar difficulties."

A former head of year at Prenton High School, Mrs Benson was forced to retire in December, 1996. She claimed her employer had organised her system of work so negligently that it exposed her to a foreseeable risk of injury, and listed a number of complaints against the local authority.

She claims nothing was done about the fact her sickness record indicated she was suffering from work related stress. Mrs Benson also complained that the council failed to provide her with any stress counselling.

She was employed as a teacher at Prenton High School in 1977 before becoming head of year in the 1980s. She ran after school activities, concerts, produced the school magazine, taught English and Media Studies, was a school governor and even had pastoral duties as head of year.

Mrs Benson complained about her workload in 1988 and from 1994 onwards was having significant difficulties and physical symptoms, including palpitations. She was signed off with stress at the start of 1995 and when she returned two weeks later things had not got better; she was also given an extra examination class in September, 1995. She suffered depression at the start of 1996.

Said Mrs Benson: "There was a failure on the part of my managers to recognise the stresses caused by the complexity of my responsibilities."

Deborah Miller, Regional solicitor of the North West NUT, said: "We are very pleased with the successful conclusion of the Benson case. There are currently a number of other cases, including many from Wirral . . . . Teachers' stress is an occupational health problem which their employers must take seriously. It emphasises stress related illness is a forseeable health hazard."

Wirral Council Education Department would only comment: "In view of the fact that the case was settled out of court, with no admission of liability on behalf of the local authority, we have nothing further to add."

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