Hello
I do not know where to start or if i have a case in any area at all. But here goes. I am sorry if this is listed in the worng section.
I have just resigned from my previous employment as a receptionist at the Great Western Hotel, in Newquay.
The hotel recently had a guest die from carbon monoxide poisioning, all staff had been put at risk. After my shift the day before this man was found dead, i felt very ill, headaches and dizzy spells, i went home and went to sleep. Previous days i had felt confused and unable to concentrate, i put this down to general life stress. It was only once others had mentioned similar symptoms and so on i thought it could be in relation to the incident.
I told the duty manager on the monday morning how i had felt on the friday. I took myself to my GP on Monday afternoon, i was then checked over and advised to have a blood test.
The company arranged for all staff to have blood tests 4 days after the incident, we were told all were "normal" but were not given individual results!
Anyway i continued to work for the company whilst undergoing so much stress in relation to the incident. I asked for a pay rise, i was on minimum wage £5.52 an hour and requested a small increase. My boss told me that this would be ok and she would look at the other receptionists wages and bring me in line with theirs, as the company had recently been taken over by St Austell Brewery and all new staff were on minimum wage whereas the old staff were all on more. I was also told this increase would be back dated.
I then received a letter that stated i could not be granted a pay rise for various reasons all of which i feel are not appropriate in hindsight to what had gone on within the business. Afterall i was not asking alot for the professionalism i feel i had shown the company over recent weeks in particular.
I felt due to all the stress and the fact my health had been put greatly at risk within my workplace, that i had to leave.
I had only been at the company just under 3 months.
I have sought some legal advice and was told as i was not dangerously effected by the CO i would not be able to apply for a no win no fee case as i would have to gain £1000 in compensation however i was told to ask for a sum of £500 as this would no be unreasonable.
I have contacted my ex employer with a letter of potential legal proceedings and so so... however they have fobbed me off saying i was not put at risk as i was not at work on the actual saturday (how do they know how long the CO had been there for)? Also i saw the firebrigades plans of the hotel after their inspection and the levels were all extremely high.
I just feel i'm fighting a losing battle me against them, i do not have the money to take them to court, i just feel a small amount of compensation would be a reasonable thing to ask.
Any advice would be wonderful.
Thanks
previous employer and carbon monoxide at work and a refusal of pay rise 
