A tax consultant has brought legal action against Clifford Chance over allegations that managers at the magic circle outfit repeatedly piled excessive workloads onto her.
Priti Dhulia, 54, from Hounslow, West London, joined the Canary Wharf-based firm in September 1995 and was, among other things, responsible for preparing partners’ tax returns. According to The Telegraph, Dhulia has now filed a writ with the High Court seeking £150,000 in damages, claiming working at the firm left her suffering with “an adjustment disorder and occupational problems as a result of overwork and workplace bullying”.
A spokesperson for Clifford Chance said: “We disagree with the version of events presented in this case, however it would be inappropriate to comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing.”
Dhulia alleges she worked beyond her contracted 35-hour week and often completed tasks at home in the evenings and weekends. Moreover, she claims she was allocated around 50% of partners’ Inland Revenue returns to complete, while her two colleagues were given 33% and 17% respectively.
The tax expert (pictured above left) says she complained to Clifford Chance’s human resources department about her workload, but alleges nothing was done to address the situation.
Things escalated, according to Dhulia, when colleagues began commenting on the number of private calls she made in her native language of Gujarati. In an internal email quoted in the report, Dhulia’s line manager apparently flagged up the issue to her department head.
