Portrait: Steve Forrest
UNISON member Bindu Parmar’s case against Leicester City Council made headline news recently when the Court of Appeal confirmed that an employment tribunal had been correct to state that ‘race played a part’ in her treatment. Bindu tells Janey Starling the story of what happened, and how she fought back – and won.
Senior social worker Bindu Parmar had worked at Leicester City Council for 33 years when she was unexpectedly told by her line manager that she was being placed under disciplinary investigation. When she asked why, her manager didn’t give a reason.
Bindu then received a letter about the disciplinary measures. It contained no specific details about what she had done wrong, or when. “It just said I wasn’t following leadership standards or professional standards,” she recalls today. “But we didn’t even have a policy to say what our leadership standards were. I was perplexed and thinking, ‘What’s she talking about?’
When Bindu asked, once more, for further information, her manager of 10 years told her that she’d ‘find out later’. Bindu couldn’t make sense of it. “After so many years, being a dedicated worker, devoting almost three decades to this career, it felt awful. It felt like a blow to my guts. If she’d said, ‘You’ve done this,’ then I might be able to reflect on it and consider what I had done. But there was none of that.”
At the time of her suspension, Bindu was head of the Location West team within adult social care services. She managed five team leaders, who in turn managed a total social care workforce of 80 people. She was an experienced leader who had built strong relationships with lots of people and other public services in the Leicester area. It was therefore distressing for her to discover that, directly after their meeting, Bindu’s manager had sent an email to all of the agencies she regularly worked with, including the NHS, police, housing officers and children’s services, saying that she was no longer in her role.
“That really hurt a lot,” Bindu says. “I was respected quite widely within the council and with partner agencies, because I’d worked there for over 30 years, and it was left for everyone to read between the lines. I felt like she was really trying to tarnish my reputation.”
Overnight, Bindu’s career had been ended. And she still hadn’t been given a single reason why. She began to suspect that it was to do with race.
Different treatment
After she was told she was under disciplinary measures, Bindu spent five agonising weeks suspended from her role, waiting for her investigatory interview. When it finally came around, the interview was held by her manager. And after two hours Bindu was still in the dark as to what exactly she had done wrong. Although her manager had already interviewed nine colleagues as part of the investigation, she still did not provide any details, dates or specifics for her allegations.
It was at this point that Bindu decided her manager’s kangaroo court had gone on long enough.
“The reason I feel that there was institutional racism was because at no point did any checks and balances stop what my manager was doing,” she says. “HR didn’t stop her, legal services didn’t stop her. Nobody said, ‘You haven’t got anything concrete, so you can’t do this.’”
The Leicester Belgrave Mela is one the most popular and established free community events in the UK
Bindu knew she was the third person of Indian origin that her line manager, the director of adult social care and safeguarding at the council, who is white, had disciplined in the last five years. None of her white colleagues had experienced such treatment.
The way she was being treated had a profound emotional impact. “I wasn’t sleeping, I was feeling so much anxiety. I was tearful and had panic attacks at the thought of work meetings,” she says. After she explained what was happening to her GP, he signed her off work for a month.
Bindu was baffled that a lot of her investigatory interview was taken up by her manager repeatedly asking her why one of her team leaders had copied Bindu into an email sent about safeguarding issues. Bindu didn’t know how to answer this question. “I asked her, how is that my mistake? It’s not as if I can control somebody sending emails?
“Something was clearly not right. I felt like my manager was trying to cover up these safeguarding failings.”
Bindu decided she would internally blow the whistle on race discrimination, as well as the safeguarding failings within her department that had been reported to her in the email from her colleague. So she contacted the mayor of the council.
Shortly after, Bindu’s manager was removed from the investigation and replaced with another director from another department. In May 2021, this new person swiftly closed the disciplinary investigation and Bindu was issued with a letter that said she had no case to answer.
“I felt vindicated, but I felt angry as well,” Bindu says, with questions remaining about her line manager’s treatment of her. “How could she have got away with it? Why was she doing this to me? The only thing I could pin was my race.”
With UNISON’s support, Bindu lodged a race discrimination claim with the employment tribunal.
Worse to come
After the investigation had concluded, Bindu was required to return to her role. Despite asking to be moved to another area, she was still under the same line manager who she had a pending tribunal claim against.
“I felt like I had to walk on eggshells. Not only that, but there’d been no repercussions for her, I didn’t feel that she’d learned anything from it,” she says. “In our one-to-ones she kept asking me how I felt about my employment tribunal claim, and what my views were now. I said to her, ‘I still don’t understand why you did what you did, and I’d like somebody independent to look at that.’”
And then, another bombshell. In April 2022, Bindu was called to a meeting by the strategic director of the council and dismissed from her role.
The reason given was that the council had ‘lost confidence’ in her. Bindu suspects that the real reason was because she hadn’t withdrawn her tribunal claim. “By this time, I just felt that they can do anything they want.”
After three decades of a thriving career in social work, Bindu was unemployed. “It was really difficult emotionally, practically and financially,” she says. Although her husband was able to pick up the shortfall at first, they later had to sell their house and downsize to adjust to the loss in income.
Getting a fair hearing
In January 2023, the employment tribunal began. The hearing lasted five days, and Bindu was on the witness stand for the best part of a day, which was exhausting.
Then, when her line manager was up for cross-examination, something unexpected happened. Bindu began to feel reassured. She felt her case was finally getting a fair hearing.
“[My manager] could not explain why she did what she did. That was really helpful to me, because I realised I hadn’t done anything wrong, she was only doing this to me because of my race.”
When the judgment arrived two months later, in March 2023, the employment tribunal sided with Bindu. It ruled that “race had played a part” in her treatment.
A key factor in the judge’s decision was the council’s failure to disclose the minutes and notes of the nine investigatory interviews that Bindu’s line manager had conducted with colleagues, inferring that the council’s concealment of these notes meant that they were trying to hide something.
“The judge picked up that there was nothing of substance,” she says. “It still baffles me. I’m very competent, I had a good reputation. I wasn’t under-performing.”
However, instead of accepting this decision, the council decided to appeal it. The role of the employment appeals tribunal (EAT) is to assess whether a tribunal has made any errors in law and, when Bindu’s case was heard at the EAT, the judge found no errors. He upheld the original tribunal’s judgment and called the council’s appeal “pernickety”.
Then, despite having lost twice, the council escalated the case to the Court of Appeal, using taxpayer money to fight an increasingly expensive legal battle. In July 2025, the Court of Appeal dismissed the case. Bindu had won again. Three courts had ruled that Leicester City Council’s actions against her were racist.
Bindu is relieved, and grateful to UNISON for its support. Yet the victory is bittersweet: her health has suffered and her employment has ended. Now, aged 60, she does not plan to look for another job, wishing instead to focus on looking after herself, and her health.
“It has taken a toll on me and it’s taken a toll on my family. It wasn’t just me that went through that process, it was my husband and my children. And if it wasn’t for their support, I wouldn’t have got through it. They have supported me 100%.”
Bindu still has a second claim with the employment tribunal, for unfair dismissal and victimisation. She anticipates another lengthy battle through the courts. “If they do what they did with the first case, that will be another four years of my life fighting them through the court system.”
‘Dignity and fortitude’
Despite three court rulings that their actions were racist, Leicester City Council has still not apologised to Bindu. And her manager? “She’s still in her role. And she still continues to oversee frontline services. And Leicester being Leicester, the majority of the population are BME.”
This is what troubles Bindu the most. “People who rely on our services place their trust in the local authority. If the council can behave in a racist, discriminatory way to senior staff and cover it up, how can we trust that the same isn’t happening to service users behind closed doors?
“I wish they’d just accepted the findings of the employment tribunal. They could have said, ‘Okay, the courts have found racism, let’s do something about it. Let’s change, let’s reassure the community in Leicester, let’s get rid of that manager and look at our processes’. But they didn’t.”
Nevertheless, Bindu is glad that she fought. And she will continue to fight, with UNISON by her side, in her upcoming unfair dismissal case. “I don’t do this for personal gain,” she says. “I have done this because I couldn’t stay silent while injustice was allowed to fester within a public institution that’s responsible for protecting the most vulnerable.”
UNISON head of legal services Shantha David says: “It’s not easy to put your head above the parapet and be brave enough to call out racist behaviour. Bindu did that with dignity and fortitude for over five years, and we are proud to have successfully supported her claim all the way to the Court of Appeal.”
Adds UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea: “Leicester City Council has spent years dragging out this case in repeated appeals. Local authorities should never be allowed to waste public money like this. UNISON will always stand up to employers that discriminate against and are racist towards their staff.”
It is a long time since I was a Service Conditions office and changed will certainly have taken place. However no colleague should be subject to disciplinary action without first receiving notification in writing of the alleged breaches of conduct and conditions of service leveled against them. This case is shocking to the point of criminality. I hope adequate compensation is awarded.
Well done, Unison. The Council should be ashamed of its treatment of Bindu. I wonder if many ratepayers know about the disgraceful waste of their money on this issue.
Absolutely disgraceful behaviour and culture allowed to continue within the realms of social care Leicester. Bindu should not have had to go back to work under the same manager. They should apologise and be ashamed.
Well done Bindu for pursuing this. Leicester City Council should be ashamed of themselves. However, it’s very worrying that there have been no changes made and the person responsible for the whole sorry fiasco is still in employment.
Well done Bindu for tackling this head on with bravery, dignity and fortitude. I wish you the best of luck in the next battle at the employment tribunal. No apology from the manager and she is still in her role? This shocks me, absolutely no accountability here. At the very least the manager should have faced disciplinary action. Shame on Leicester City Council.
So brave to fight this and share your story thanks Bindu.
Truly shocking!!!
Absolutely disgraceful! Doesn’t say much for Social Services in Leicester and, as Bindu points out, the majority of Leicester is BME.
Sadly, the fact that the incompetent and racist manager is still there is so indicative of public services. Having worked in the NHS, rather than confront an ignorant manager – they end up promoting so they don’t have to deal with the issue. Appalling – but well done, Bindu – you will always be the better person.
No-one should be faced with any investigation without having the details of the investigation clearly explained.
Well done Bindu for taking this rogue employer on though I’m sure there are many excellent employees (Frontline and Management) at Leicester City Council. One would think that the Elected Members who are responsible for decisions on local services, developing policy and act as a link between residents and other stakeholders would have serious concerns.
All the best to you and your family
Brilliant and courageous fight from Ms Bindu Parmar. Great support from UNISON as well.
My wife, an African black senior staff nurse, is going through something similar at the moment from her Line Manager who is also black. This one is bullying, intimidation and discrimination. Based on my own observation and experience, line managers must undergo personnel and people management training once they are in such position.
Shame on Leicester City Council and it’s grotesque that Bindu’s former manager continues in the same role.
I’m so sorry Bindu that you were subjected to such appalling treatment and I wish you and your family all the very best.
Well done, Bindu, it’s inspiring to see how you fought and didn’t give up.
Thank you for the sad but inspirational story of Bindu whose courage and faith in their sense of righteousness as an unwavering principle held their little ship steady – despite the obvious might and weight of an organisation with the power and resources that a Local Authority may have.
Kudos to Bindu, what a brave woman. Thank you for taking them on. Your experience is what a lot of BME staff go through and a lot of them have been broken by it. Thankfully, you had the courage to take them on and shine the light on what goes on too often. You are an inspiration.
Well done Bindu, you showed an enormous amount of resilience, bravery and determination. I too am facing something similar which is having an effect on my mental & physical well-being while working for the NHS. It’s shocking that these people in positions of power over us can behave in these way. It raises a question as to why are they in the job?
Good luck in your future, I wish you well
It’s just a shame. People go through hellish to overcome these demons of racist.
Reading these details makes my blood boil.
The manager should have been suspended early in this debacle and Bindu reinstated with any loss of earnings repaid.
Particularly in an area such as this with a big Indian origin population.
Well done Bindu for fighting the system in Leicester Council who should be ashamed of themselves knowing that they represent a majority BME community and to behave in this despicable manner to put you thorough so much stress and anxiety after over 30 years of dedicated service.
The manger should be investigated alongside the service for its failings, and prosecuted for racial discrimination, singling you out in the work place.
This is shocking! Leicester City Council need to sack that manager for what she’s done and for what she’s cost them fighting a non case through many courts. Absolute disgrace to put someone through that, to the detriment of their health and livelihood. I’m livid on behalf of Bindu!
Hi I have full empathy and respect for Bindu I faced a 95% same experience to her. I am still angry and upset the way my local authority and senior management treated me. It’s really sad when you devote your career of 38yrs into social care and the organisation you work for does not abide to the core values and principles.
Diane Taylor 06/11/2025
Well done Bindu, a dedicated and a real true and committed Social Worker who is prepared to lift her head above the parapet to expose such disgraceful managers who believe that they can continue abusing colleagues or anyone else in this appalling way. Sadly racism within the council as well as in other large organisations continues and can be subtle, always call it out, it is totally unacceptable. Really proud of you Bindu and so sorry for suffering 5 years of hell. Keep well my colleague.
Imagine losing in courts Three times and still not issuing an apology or making the manager who caused all these issues be accountable for it all.. absolutely shocking. Great work Unison and wish Bindu a happy life away from all of this now.
Leicester CC should be held accountable for their actions and investigated all the way to the CEO and Council Leader and appropriate action taken.
I wonder if the Council Tax payers are aware of this incident.
Well done Bindu for standing up for yourself for so many long and hard years. Leicester City Council should hang their heads in shame; and how that manager can be allowed to continue in her role, and is even able to sleep at night I just do not understand
Well done Bindu, I am disgusted and shocked at Leicester City Council and her manager were allowed to behave like this, where were HR and safeguarding, her ex manager should face a disciplinary, its should have happened years ago
Bindu, well done for fighting on and good on UNISON. Best wishes for the future
I can’t believe how egregiously her manager behaved, and how little respect they had for Bindu – regardless of the fact she had 30 odd years of professional experience with them. I also appreciate reading about the emotional toll that this ordeal has had on Bindu. Often people think that fighting back against racism is purely noble thing to do because it’s right, but it’s also about protecting your emotional wellbeing and dignity. Having the experience of a racist manager will wear you down and make you doubt yourself. I’m so impressed by Bindu for fighting this to the end, and I hope you can now relax and recover from this.
Congratulations Bindu and wishing you all the best for the next tribunal hearing. I empathise fully with what you experienced. I am currently going through tribunal. Evidencing Racism is so difficult, because it’s systemic; Racism has been embedded into our society through centuries of colonisation, white washed history and in our institutions. Racism doesn’t require hate or name calling, because unconscious bias, however unintentional. Racism is more insidious because it’s hidden using micro-aggressions; but the consequences are devastating. Your story has given me encouragement to continue my fight, thank you.
Trisha Drewery
Congratulations on this outcome, Bindu. I appreciate just how challenging this battle has been and what toll it has taken to get there.
Leicester City Council have misused public funds to fight this in court. They have a have an obligation to manage correctly. Having worked for a local council, I am not surprised, but deeply saddened to hear that nothing changes with regards to the lack of support and appreciation from council members. Not to mention a robust monitoring system of these people who make the decisions to spend this money. The whole system is corrupt.
Well done to Bindu for her courage and determination. There is no room in our public services for racism of any kind. I hope you manage to recover from all the years of struggling with this. Thank you for what you have done to make the system fairer.
The situation Bindu found herself in is very sad. I believe social work should be inclusive of all people needing its services. It should also reflect this in the workforce, as this demonstrates good representation for everyone. Some cultures find it difficult to relate their own culture to others, but not to their own.
It is time all public services reflect their service users in this way.
What a great outcome, although this should never have happened. It is extremely worrying that this is still happening in 2025. I hope Bindu will be able to at least mentally recover from what has happened to her.
Well done for being courageous Bindu. Thank you UNISON for being there, your support is unbeatable. Keep up the good works.
I heartily sympathise. I am embroiled with a plc which has excluded me by removing all my work authorisations but will not tell me even in outline why. Companies try to defeat the law.
Well done Bindu for the courage and determination to challenge what us people of colour in social care are having to put up with everyday. If it was the other way round and you were the manager, the outcome would have been swift, and your name tarnished forever for discrimination. How shameful that she still retains her position after everything. Absolutely disgusting.
Congratulations Bindu !!
Such bravery and fortitude !! and to your family also.
Solidarity !!
From one other SW who has known what it was like to have been under the spotlight and supposed disciplinary enquiry. What a load of wasted emotion, time, money and LA resources
Well done for keeping to your facts. it is disgraceful, I am going through something that has been going on since last September that I was not made aware of at the time, it is a horrendous process and I have to continue to work and be professional. it is taking a toll on me and my family.
Good for you Bindu these people should be ashamed of themselves.
Well done Bindu and the fellow allies who were courageous enough to stand along.
Shocking and appalling leadership at Leicester City Council. Serious concerns on their process of judgement. Again this highlights that institutional racism continues to exist and regardless of the courts decision their leadership team did not learn any. Very strange, I question their ability to manage conflict of interest…
As bad as the NHS in pulling in the ranks when faced with legal action. Well done to this lady for standing her ground, she knew she was right. She should feel very proud of herself. I will be interested to know how the next case progresses against this diabolical organisation.
A similar thing happened to me in Glasgow by a narcsistic psychopath. I ended up getting disciplined for retaliating aganist systematic bullying over a long period of time. I made a counter complaint and told by management they would deal with the culprit. He ended up getting a promotion and i ended up on sick leave for 6 months and prescribed anti depressants for anxiety and depression that lasted 5 years. Wheres the justice and duty of care. Unison supported me throughout this awful period and i am very gratefull. Thank you ✊
A very brave action to take against such racist bullying employers .
I’m pleased Bindu won her case and hope for a positive outcome in her fight for unfair dismissal.
Outstanding effort from unison for their support.
The whole affair is very disappointing. How could a public body behave like this, more so even allowed to do so.
It is troubling to know that even that director is still in the same position. There is a lot to be asked of the leadership of this council!
Hats off to you Bindu,
This will continue especially in care sector,I’ve partially been there too,there will always be another Bindu,this will not stop unless strict measures and campaigns are put in place, especially for those people who get away with murder due to their position and politics.
Managers now days think they own the companies and even though the directors will support them too,especially when race,colour,religion is involved individuals are judged and humiliated,been so intimidated by managers people dont doesn’t up and suffer in silence.Shame on you Managers who think this way,but what goes around will come around too
I pray this stops and as this effects one’s mental health to next level,Please some one step up and stop this nonsense.
I would like to congratulate Bindu and Unison for standing up for themselves. I have been in social care for many years and produced positive outcomes for children and young people, however not everyone is in it for the same reason. I also have a racial discrimination case going on at the moment.
Thanks for UNISON to help and support its members and work to eliminate discrimination
Thank you for never giving up. You inspire others and give them hope. I have worked in councils and seen this behaviour often. So I set up a counselling and support service for people bullied at work, nearly always by their managers. Now, I help wonderful people like you, get over these experiences…so if you would like some help to fade the bad memories, calm your anxiety, I am volunteering! It would be an honour . Please contact me.Thank you from all of us. Jeanniethompson2@aol.com
I know exactly what you felt and went through, I faced the same ordeal for 2 years but I was not with the union at that time and the NHS Trust done me over hard.
I was suspended without and explanation , waited months for a disciplinary, there was no evidence against me, I was ganged up on and bullied for my religious beliefs, I refuted all the lies against me as I had proof- Teams messages and emails. Proved the 5 colleagues to be lying, but I was still found guilty and had 12 months disciplinary against me, I was then bullied and threatened by the 2 directors during those 12 months, then continued to get bullied 2 years later.
As an engineer I’m left to work on my own covering 3 sites , over worked , for the past 3 years. The director said he will not let me progress or develop and wants me to leave the trust.
Buckinghamshire NHS Trust management is so messed up it is unreal! So many people are mistreated , bullied, over worked because shortage of staff but each department has 4-5 manager roles who do nothing.
Those who done me wrong, I gave proof of discrimination and bullying , continued to be employed by the Trust .
I love Working at the Trust and have an amazing relationship with all staff, but management are a disgrace .
Well done Bindu, I felt like you fought for my injustice x
I look forward to seeing the damages Bindu receives.
You’d expect civility and the highest ethical standards from public sector staff, especially Adult Social Care. Yet, in practice, hierarchical bureaucracy, actively endorsed and promoted within Councils, often fostering a culture where staff are reluctant to challenge their superiors, even when witnessing clear instances of discrimination. The fear of jeopardising career prospects or promotions overrides moral responsibility. What we need is Local Government staff who prioritise the needs of residents over careerism, with incentives that promote accountability and fairness for both employees and the communities they serve. The question is: can such a shift in priorities be truly achieved?
I’m appalled by the way you were treated Bindu, and that your former manager is still in her post. Look after yourself, and keep strong for your next court case.
Also, sending best wishes to all those others who are currently standing up to racism.
Well done Bindu. Your inner strength and determination is simply amazing.
I don’t envy you the daunting prospect of another 4 or 5 years fighting against such a corrupt organisation.
So sad that you have had to suffer so much simply for honesty and fairness to win the day.
I hope you have the ability to stay strong for the fight ahead whilst also managing to recover from what you have already endured.
Bindu hats off to you and my sincere gratitude to your family. Having suffered racial discrimination myself I know the sufferings not only to myself but the devastating effects on the family.
The City Mayor on winning the election had said that the bucks stopped at him. Well he is two faced, will he take responsibility and resign. On wasting tax payers money, he has paid millions to refuse collection company and still not given the reasons for the so called breach of contract. These borders on criminality and should be thoroughly investigated by Local Government Ombudsmen.
Why would you do this if you were part of the senior management team/Board at LCC?
I have a suggestion – maybe it is easy to double down on your earlier error when someone else (ie us, the taxpayer) is paying the bill?
Bindu, you are indeed very brave. I salute your tenacity for justice. I also echo your concerns that a multi ethnic authority like Leicester Council, charged with providing statutory care to its most vulnerable citizens, can treat staff in such an appalling manner without repercussion, recognition or acceptance of doing wrong.
What assurance exists of equitable care for the most vulnerable people who rely on Social Care? It baffles me that after 30 years of a flawless dedicated career, this can end overnight in the most cruel and thoughtless way. Is this how staff are rewarded?
Bindu, as justice prevailed in all three of your previous cases, justice will prevail again in your upcoming case.
Appalling conduct by the employer suggests they are completely ignorant of procedure and that a number of individuals have failed in their responsibilities regarding accountability. For this reason an example should be set that starts with a full and independent investigation that then reaches defined conclusions and identifies individuals who were at fault (including the times back at the initial motivation for the disagreement), then retrains and demotes said individuals.
Yes Bindu was vindicated but seems like justice wasn’t served there since the offenders weren’t punished. And the fact their names weren’t even disclosed means they are protected. Looks like to me that they already know that their appeals will be dismissed and they did those as a means of distraction so no ome notices they got away with it. I don’t how the story ends, really, but reading this, seems like they got away with it. That line manager should be removed and receive penalty and Bindu should regain her position and previous way of life.
Absolutely disgraceful behaviour from Leicester Council. Congratulations on the positive outcome for you with the help from UNISON. Just know, you’re a beacon of hope for others that may be going through same a similar situation that you’ve gone through.
Well done Bindu and UNISON. However, in the years ahead I fear we face many more, similar challenges. We must be prepared to fight everyone!
On reading Bindu’s story Franz Kafka’s ‘The Trial’ sprang to mind.
Grate to hear your story, your story brings back some fearful memories for me as i found my self in a same situation, But I am here today because I had a grate Medical professional team which include my Doctor and my Occupational Clinician . As I am of Asian origin.
Well done Bindu, it is a sad reflection on our society , that even in 2025, institutional racism is rife within local authorities, and evident that it still is in Leicester Council – I hope you receive the compensation you deserve!
Well done for fighting this Bindu and UNISON for supporting. Five years is too long to fight for justice and annoyingly while the racist individual goes about normal business. I’m also very concerned that Leicester Council allow said manager to remain in post!!
I empathize for Bindu and her family. Leicester City Council should be ashamed. Bindu’s excellent reputation has been tarnished, the process was not followed properly and adversely affected not only Bindu, her family but also the community she spent decades helping. The council should have apologised, sent out a letter to the organisations she worked with explaining it was an error to help re-establish her good reputation. Nor should they have had her report to a manager that was under investigation. It is appalling this type of behaviour went on. I am truly at a loss for words but so glad that Unison helped her to fight not once but 3 times of unbased information!
I hope Bindu and her family can find some peace and happiness now.
I stand with Bindu and her family. Leicester City Council’s mishandling of her case has unjustly tarnished an exemplary reputation and caused harm to the community she has served for decades. Leaders who represent the public must be held accountable—there is no place in a fair society for this kind of behaviour. I am grateful that Unison supported her in challenging these unfounded allegations, and I hope Bindu and her family can now find the peace and recognition they deserve.
So glad you won and you should have no reason not to win your next case.
I worked at a school for 17 years always standing in when short staffed. 5 yrs ago I had a stroke which affected my sight & I was signed off for a few months. Having zoom meetings with work, and being signed off by my GP, I was told in my last meeting that “I had left my colleagues to pick up my slack”…. working in a kitchen I was not able to go back for a while. I had a wonderful gentleman from Unison who was included in all mtgs, the last zoom meeting my employment was terminated and told me I was not entitled to severance pay to which my Unison rep informed them to read my contract because they did not know what they were talking about… just because I worked part time they thought they need not pay me…I can’t thank UNISON enough… I am now retired
So glad you won and you should have no reason not to win your next case.
I worked at a school for 17 years always standing in when short staffed. 5 yrs ago I had a stroke which affected my sight & I was signed off for a few months. Having zoom meetings with work, and being signed off by my GP, I was told in my last meeting that “I had left my colleagues to pick up my slack”…. working in a kitchen I was not able to go back for a while. I had a wonderful gentleman from Unison who was included in all mtgs, the last zoom meeting my employment was terminated and told me I was not entitled to severance pay to which my Unison rep informed them to read my contract because they did not know what they were talking about… just because I worked part time they thought they need not pay me…I can’t thank UNISON enough… I am now retired
I can’t believe Leicester City Council kept fighting it when they are so obviously in the wrong. I am sure Bindu will win the unfair dismissal claim too as it sounds like they absolutely didn’t give her any reasons or follow correct employment law. I’d like to say I’m surprised that the manager is still in post, no apology has been given, but I work for a different council and have endured over 4 years of gender and disability discrimination with no follow up by the organisation or apology, and it’s still happening. So unfortunately, LCC are not the only local authority to act so poorly.