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Published 13:03 IST, December 28th 2024

UK Woman Sacked for Wearing Sports Shoes to Work, Receives Rs 32 Lakh Compensation

A 20-year-old woman was fired from her job at a recruiting agency for wearing sports shoes to work and was later awarded £30,000 in compensation.

Reported by: Digital Desk
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UK Woman Sacked for Wearing Sports Shoes to Work, Receives Rs 32 Lakh in Compensation
UK Woman Sacked for Wearing Sports Shoes to Work, Receives Rs 32 Lakh in Compensation | Image: Linkedin

London: A 20-year-old woman was fired from her job at a recruiting agency for wearing sports shoes to work and was later awarded £30,000 (Rs 32,20,818) in compensation.

The woman, Elizabeth Benassi, who worked at Maximus UK Services in 2022, claimed she was unfairly dismissed due to her choice of footwear. She also stated that she was unaware of the company's dress code and was singled out despite her colleagues wearing similar footwear without facing any consequences.

Benassi had been hired at the age of 18. She reported being treated "like a child" by a manager who criticized her choice of trainers. An employment tribunal hearing in Croydon, south London, ruled in her favor, determining that the company showed a "desire to find fault" with the young employee.

Benassi argued that she was unaware of any formal dress code and that her dismissal was an act of victimization. The recruitment agency, which provides services to the Department for Work and Pensions, employed Benassi for only three months before firing her.

During the hearing, she shared that most of her colleagues were in their twenties, with Benassi being the youngest employee. She claimed she was "micromanaged" because of her age and unfairly criticized for wearing trainers to the office.

Although Maximus UK Services denied the accusations, the tribunal ruled in favor of Benassi, awarding her £29,187 in compensation for victimization. The ruling raises concerns about age-based discrimination and the treatment of young workers.

"No allowance was made for the fact that she was new and may not have been familiar with the dress code. It was therefore a clear unfairness and indicates a desire to find fault," Employment Judge Forwell emphasized.
 

Updated 13:03 IST, December 28th 2024