A professional football club has been accused of breaking the Modern Slavery Act by a former employee who was asked to work excessive hours.
According to a report in The Guardian, London South employment tribunal is set to hear an unfair dismissal and age discrimination claim by a former kitman of Crawley Town FC. Pete Reynolds claimed that he was for practical purposes asked to work 100 hours a week without additional pay. This would have left him earning well below the national minimum wage.
The Football Association and English Football League have been named as co-respondents on the claim form, which stated: “Their failure to act and allow this practice to continue has allowed Crawley Town FC and others to exploit employees.” Crawley Town, the FA and EFL have until 11 February to respond.
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Crawley Town, which plays in League One, is thought to have denied any wrongdoing.
The FA were understood to regard the claim as a private employment matter so there was no legal basis for a claim against them, but Reynold’s legal team, said the Guardian, will argue that the governing body has a duty of care to prevent exploitative practices.
“The FA has a duty of care to those employed in their partner organisations,” a source with knowledge of the case told the newspaper.
In his claim form to the employment tribunal submitted last month, Reynolds says Crawley told him “to work excessive hours without additional pay” and this would have meant “having to work below the minimum wage threshold”.
His claim will include the allegation that age – he is 62 – was a factor in the termination of his employment at the club.
Earlier this season, in November, the kitman with whom Reynolds shared his duties left the club. According to Reynolds, the head of football operations told him he would have to take on extra responsibilities without additional pay. Reynolds protested this would result in an impossible workload. He later received an email from the director telling him the club accepted his resignation.
Reynolds said continuing on the basis envisaged by the football director would have meant 12-hour days, seven days a week and lots of travel, without extra pay.
The 2015 Modern Slavery Act states: “Employees shall not be contractually required to work more than 48 hours per week and overtime will only be worked on an optional basis. Forced or compulsory labour is prohibited.”
Reynolds raised a formal grievance procedure but claimed he had not heard from the club, although he was paid his final month’s salary and nine days’ outstanding holiday pay. He said he did not receive a redundancy payment and had yet to be sent a P45.
The club declined to comment when contacted by the Guardian.
Crawley Town FC is owned by a group of US-based cryptocurrency investors.
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