Lloyds bank faces £70,000 claim from single mum for alleged discrimination

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A senior Lloyds banker is seeking £70,000 in compensation, claiming that her female boss discriminated against her because she was a single mother.

Alison Weekes, 39, has alleged that her boss at Lloyds TSB told her she was not "truly committed" to her job compared to her single male colleagues, and that she was warned there was no such thing as a work-life balance.

The mother-of-one claimed she was unfairly sacked from her £50,000-a-year job as an audit manager after complaining about the comments, and is claiming compensation for sex- and racial-discrimination, victimisation, and injury to feelings.

In legal papers submitted to the tribunal, Weekes said she made it clear in her job interview that she had no previous experience of audit work, and was assured she would receive proper training. However, she said she received no support or training from her managers, and was told that she wouldn't be able to put in the same hours that her single colleagues did because of her childcare responsibilities.

When she reported the remarks, her boss allegedly warned her for her "own good" that no-one would back a formal grievance.

Weekes said: "I suffered harassment, victimisation, bullying, racial and sexual discrimination while employed in Lloyds TSB audit group and the way the treatment was meted out suggest institutionalised racism and sexism," she said.

Lloyds has denied all Weekes's allegations and insists that she was rightly dismissed for poor performance at the end of her probationary period.

In its legal papers, it said: "The claimant was provided with training and support to assist her in learning her new role as an auditor in the same way as other new joiners."

"Feedback was provided on an objective basis and was not influenced by either the claimant's race or sex," it added.