A female Asian worker at an equality centre has been awarded more than 63,000 in compensation after an employment tribunal found she had been sexually and racially discriminated against by her boss.
The payment to Shakila Ali of the North East Centre for Diversity and Racial Equality, agreed at a remedies hearing last week, is for loss of earnings and damages.
Chief executive Jamiel Bux was also denied leave to appeal against the initial ruling last June, with both him and the centre jointly liable to pay the compensation.
The tribunal heard that Bux asked Ali to cook for him when his wife was away, and made remarks about her suffering from pre-menstrual tension. Ali also told the panel that he had a “heavy-handed and bullying attitude” towards her.
In a written judgment, the tribunal said: “We take into account that Mr Bux would not have asked a man of any race to cook food for him. We do not consider that Mr Bux would have asked a white female employee to cook for him.” We find Mrs Ali has been treated less favourably because of both her racial group and her sex.”
Bux’s position as chief executive now hangs in the balance as officials are meeting to consider the tribunal’s ruling.
The tribunal said: “We find it extraordinary that nothing has been done by the centre in respect of Mr Bux’s continued employment as the chief executive.”
