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Pregnant Hairdresser Receives Discrimination Payout

In a landmark ruling, Kayleigh Flanagan, a hairdresser from Thatcham, West Berkshire, has been awarded nearly £90,000 after facing workplace discrimination following her pregnancy announcement. The tribunal’s decision highlights the importance of upholding the rights of expectant employees.

photo of a cow dressed up as a judge, holding a judges Hamer to represent cow of the week.

Cow of the week_tribunal case

After announcing her pregnancy, Ms. Flanagan was demoted to cleaning and apprentice duties at Envy hairdressers, with her employer, Amy Jury, removing her from the online booking system. Feeling sidelined, Ms. Flanagan pursued legal action and won the case, highlighting the discrimination she faced.

Key issues in the case included:

Pregnancy Discrimination:

The disciplinary procedure was mismanaged, and Ms. Flanagan was demoted without justification.

She was denied training opportunities available to others, and the pregnancy risk assessment was poorly handled. Additionally, her request to have someone accompany her to a meeting was denied, and the confidentiality of the disciplinary process was breached.

Shockingly, both Ms. Flanagan and her baby were verbally abused by colleagues.

Victimisation:

The respondent exhibited verbal abuse, while the grievance procedure was not kept confidential. Training opportunities were consistently denied to Ms. Flanagan but offered to others.

The compensation breakdown included:

  • Past Financial Losses: £27,663.42
  • Interest on Past Financial Losses: £4,466.22
  • Injury to Feelings: £25,000.00
  • Aggravated Damages: £5,000.00
  • Interest on Injury to Feelings: £12,028.24
  • Non-compliance with ACAS Code: £2,883.17

With tax adjustments, the total award amounted to £89,849.38, including an additional £500 for loss of statutory rights.

This case serves as a reminder that HR could have proactively managed the situation by ensuring fair treatment, maintaining confidentiality, and providing proper support and training, thereby preventing escalation to a tribunal.

Tick HR Solutions is here to provide expert guidance and support for all your HR needs.

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