E-mail this to a friend
Print this
Education worker wins race discrimination claim against London Borough
26 September 2007
Salik Miah has won his Employment Tribunal claim against Camden Borough Council for race discrimination, harassment, victimisation and unfair dismissal. Advised by Russell Jones & Walker, Mr Miah brought the claim after being made redundant by the London Borough following a period of racial discrimination and victimisation lasting for more than a year.
Mr Miah was awarded £10,000 for injury to feelings and £2,000 in aggravated damages after the insulting behaviour of one of the witnesses during the Tribunal who suggested that someone with English as a second language should go for an IQ test.
Mr Miah was employed by the London Borough of Camden Council as an Education Worker within their education department from 2001. In 2004, Mr Miah's employer earmarked his position and began attacking his capabilities. In 2005, on the basis of providing Mr Miah with development training, Camden Council sent him for an IQ assessment. Camden Council then produced a damming report against him and he was subsequently made redundant on 31 October 2006 on the basis of a sham redundancy procedure.
The employment tribunal agreed that his dismissal was unfair and discriminatory on grounds of race.
Responses to the judgement:
Arpita Dutt, Mr Miah's solicitor, from the award-winning Employment Law Team at Russell Jones & Walker, comments:
"I am pleased that Mr Miah has won his case of race discrimination. He was subjected to a sham workplace assessment, which was not even used for the training purpose it was supposedly set for, but treated as an opportunity to discredit my client. Some of the evidence from Camden's witnesses was overt and extremely insulting and portrayed Camden Council's Youth Offending Team in a very poor light. I hope Camden Council examines whether it is fulfilling its duties to its employees under race legislation, and the training that it provides".