New Delhi: After her coworkers refused to ask her to drinks, a former casino cashier was granted almost £74,000 (about Rs 72 lakh) in compensation. Rita Leher, 51, said she felt “shunned” when Aspers casino employees in Stratford, east London, went out together and she was the only one who wasn’t invited. The coworkers discussed the outing “insensitively” in front of Leher, who is of mixed Black African ancestry. Leher also claimed wrongful termination, race, and age discrimination.
Leher, who started working at the casino in 2011, stated that several of her younger coworkers who were neither Black or of mixed ancestry had been promoted throughout the years. Despite having 22 years of previous experience in the ‘gaming sector,’ working as a dealer in ‘high-end’ London casinos and as a betting shop manager, her applications for promotions were frequently refused or disregarded. In August 2018, Leher was signed off work due to stress. She felt “ignored” by her coworkers as she began a phased return to work in November 2021. According to the panel, Leher was not invited to the work gathering because his coworkers “did not want to socialise with someone who had complained of discrimination.”
“She was the only person in the room who wasn’t invited. We all agree that discussing the plans in front of her when she wasn’t invited was at the very least insensitive “According to the panel. “We unanimously agree that being excluded from discussions at work regarding a social occasion among colleagues when one would typically be involved would cause an employee to a harm at work,” Employment Judge Sarah Moor wrote.
Judge Moor went on to say in the judgement, as stated by The Telegraph: “A reasonable employee would see such exclusion as a disadvantage because they would have missed out on the opportunity to engage with coworkers at that social event. The fact that it was among work colleagues, was discussed at work, and would give an opportunity for team bonding made the event sufficiently work-related. Ms Leher had complained of victimisation, and we all agreed that this was the reason.”
Leher, who has since left Aspers casino, was granted £74,113.65 in damages for emotional distress and lost overtime.
