Age Discrimination pay out of £147,000

A senior NHS manager has been awarded £147,000 after winning a battle to prove that she was passed over for promotion because of her age.  An employment tribunal in Leeds found that Linda Sturdy, 60, was subject to age discrimination when a colleague 13 years her junior and with 35 years less experience than her was promoted to run the unit she applied for.

Last year Sturdy was awarded £40,000 in damages after a tribunal found she was the preferred candidate for the role until she revealed she had just over three years to go until she hit the retirement age. At the time, a manager at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust told her: “I didn’t realise you were so old,” before giving the promotion to the younger woman.  She was sacked by the NHS in May 2008 after she refused to take a more junior position.
  
The latest payout was to cover Sturdy’s loss of income and pension, injury to feelings, aggravated damages and any interest owed. She now intends to pursue the Trust for legal costs.

How would your organisation handle such a claim? 

Do you have effective recruitment practices that are in line with age discrimination law? 

With Employ Easily HR Services Ltd, we would review your existing policies and procedures and work with you to ensure you are compliant with all discrimination law, and if you did have a dispute we would offer advice, support and guidance to ensure the matter was resolved.

In addition to the cost of defending Employment Tribunal Claims many Business Owners having to pay out hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation awards.  Some example are listed below: -

£9000              the average cost of defending an employment tribunal claim, excluding awards

£7959              the average compensation awarded for Unfair Dismissal

£27,235           the average compensation awarded for Disability Discrimination

£8869              the average compensation awarded for Age Discrimination

£23,668           the average compensation awarded for Sexual Orientation Discrimination

If you want indemnity from costs associated with defending Employment Tribunal claims and complete peace of mind and knowing you’ll never have to worry about compliance with complex UK employment legislation ever again, call EmployEasily HR Services today on 0800 612 4772.  We get to know your business, and act as a true business partner, offering practical advice that keeps you on the right side of the law, but ensures you can grow your business.