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Sex discrimination
A car salesman whose health suffered as a direct result of sex discrimination when he was dismissed because he was a man is awarded £15,000 compensation, including £5,000 for injury to feelings, by a Birmingham industrial tribunal (Chair: J K Macmillan) in Smith v Swithland Motors plc.
In McClenaghan and Rice v British Shoe Corporation Ltd a Belfast industrial tribunal (Chair: E McBride) awards £11,455 compensation, including £8,000 for injury to feelings, to a maternity leaver who suffered "severe depression" following her dismissal when illness prevented her from returning to work within the statutory period.
A woman who was warned that she would have to look for a new job if she didn't alter her hairstyle was unlawfully discriminated against on grounds of sex, rules a Liverpool industrial tribunal (Chair: E Lloyd-Parry) in Gatehouse v Stretton Leisure Ltd.
A petrol station worker who was embarrassed by his manageress using the word "fuck" did not suffer a detriment within the meaning of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, according to a Southampton industrial tribunal (Chair: J Hollow) in Picariello v Star Service Stations Ltd.
In Bishop v The Cooper Group plc a London South industrial tribunal (Chair: E R Donnelly), hearing "alarm bells" when told that the successful male candidates for apprenticeships in a wholly male environment would "fit in", rules that a teenage girl was turned down because of her sex.
A teenage girl who was turned down for an apprenticeship as a garage mechanic is awarded compensation of £24,389, including £3,500 for injury to feelings, by a London South industrial tribunal (Chair: E R Donnelly) in Bishop v The Cooper Group plc.
Compensation of £10,000 has been awarded by a Leeds industrial tribunal (Chair: P A Morris) in Miss A and Miss B v R1 and R2 to each of two employees in respect of injury to feelings resulting from sexual harassment.
In Kamal v Wakefield Health Authority a Leeds industrial tribunal (Chair: J Prophet) has ruled that until new legislation has been enacted, there is no time limits on claims brought under Article 119 of the EC Treaty based on the decision of the House of Lords that the hours-per-week qualifying thresholds under the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act are incompatible with EC law.
The time limit for bringing a complaint against a public sector employer in respect of discriminatory retirement did not begin to run until the date the Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay (Remedies) Regulations 1993 came into force, rules a Southampton industrial tribunal (Chair: I T Soulsby) in Wild v Portsmouth & SE Hants Health Authority.
In Webb v EMO Air Cargo (UK) Ltd (14 July 1994) EOR57A, the European Court of Justice rules that it is contrary to the Equal Treatment Directive to dismiss a woman employed for an unlimited term who, shortly after her recruitment is found to be pregnant, notwithstanding that she was recruited initially to replace another employee during the latter's maternity leave.
Employment law cases: HR and legal information and guidance relating to sex discrimination.