An Asian council worker has been awarded £122,000 after a racial discrimination tribunal heard she was forced to eat alone and refused holiday requests.
Rosene Railton told the tribunal her boss at Northumberland County Council repeatedly victimised and publicly humiliated her, setting her up for failure by delegating her an excessive workload.
She added that her colleagues treated her differently due to her race and had been “rude and nasty” towards her.
Railton, who has 23 years of continuous service in local government, suffered panic attacks and was left crying on the way to work.
After eight months she was unable to return to work due to stress and launched legal proceedings to cover lost earnings, pension rights, and injury to feelings.
Railton told the Daily Mail: “I was made to feel like I was different. It upset me that there are people out there who treat you like this and have these thoughts about you.
“The whole experience has been emotionally draining. As a result of the lengthy internal investigation and tribunal proceedings, I have become extremely ill.
“At this moment in time I don’t see how I will ever be in a position to return to work, although I hope I can.”
Railton, a former parish councillor, started work at Northumberland County Council in January 2006 and was employed to monitor school services in her assigned area.
The tribunal agreed that Railton’s boss had been “heavy handed” with her and treated her differently to a white colleague doing the same job.
A council spokesman said it still disputed the allegations and planned to appeal against the judgement.