Defence rejected

In Anirah v Asda Stores Ltd a Stratford employment tribunal (Chair: V K Gay) rejects an employer's defence that in creating and publishing an equality policy and training its staff, it had taken such steps as were reasonably practicable to prevent one of its male managers from discriminating on the grounds of sex.

Mrs Anirah, who was employed by Asda from August 1988 to August 1998, claimed sex discrimination in that whilst she was employed as the warehouse manager at Asda's Isle of Dogs store, the general store manager, Mr Ansell, during the course of a meeting with her in February 1998, had expressed the view that women did not make good warehouse managers.