Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Latest NewsEquality, diversity and inclusionRace discrimination

Race row care worker resigns rather than attend anti-racism course

by Michael Millar 11 Jan 2005
by Michael Millar 11 Jan 2005

A care worker who referred to an Asian colleague as “popadom” after forgetting her name has resigned in protest at being asked to attend an anti-racism course.


Rebecca Miles was working in a centre for victims of racism and domestic violence when she was accused of making the racist remark, reports the London Evening Standard.


She had been discussing the case of a Bangladeshi woman with her colleagues when she forgot the name of the interpreter. Miles then said: “It was Pamala, Popalam or Popadom – something like that.”


The former legal secretary was reportedly asked to attend a meeting at which she was told she could only remain in the job if she attended anti-racism lessons and wrote an essay on the Stephen Lawrence case.


Despite admitting that her remark was silly, Miles then resigned in protest.


She told the Standard: “I agree it was a flippant, silly remark, but I did not intend it to be racist and I am genuinely sorry if it caused real offence.


“During the meeting I was reminded of the Macpherson report about the Stephen Lawrence case. I was appalled they could make a parallel with the handling of the investigation into the murder of a child.”


Victim Support said it was confident the case had been handled correctly.


Its director, Paul Dowling, told the Standard: “Bearing in mind the work we do and the areas we focus on, including racial harassment, we have to have a stringent approach to these things.


“We would be open to criticism if we had not challenged her behaviour,” he said.

Avatar
Michael Millar

previous post
Employees urged to check pension benefits
next post
Tackling the causes, not the symptoms, of stress

You may also like

Report recommends student loan-style scheme for pilot training

5 Jun 2023

Think tank seeks investment for basic income pilot

5 Jun 2023

Hybrid working: why presence bias is still an...

5 Jun 2023

HCM trends and pain points – time to...

5 Jun 2023

Unions to scrutinise new civil service pay offer

2 Jun 2023

Time-to-hire rates at an all-time high

2 Jun 2023

AI in HR: Streamlining operations with onboarding and...

2 Jun 2023

DWP only just introduced overtime holiday pay mechanism,...

2 Jun 2023

University staff in further strikes over pay docking

2 Jun 2023

CBI to cut jobs after drop in membership

2 Jun 2023

  • The HR Bundle: Your one-stop guide to building a successful global HR Department PROMOTED | Get your hands on Deel’s free HR bundle...Read more
  • The Benefits of an Employee Assistance Programme PROMOTED | EAPs support employees in a range of ways...Read more
  • Intergenerational working and how to manage up and down the generations PROMOTED | The benefits and challenges of intergenerational workplaces...Read more
  • Bereavement in the workplace: How training can help HR get it right PROMOTED | HR professionals play an essential role...Read more
  • UK workforce mental wellbeing needs PROMOTED | The mental wellbeing support employers are providing misses the mark...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+