University of Surrey ordered to pay male academic £18,000 over sex discrimination

A male academic has been awarded £18,000 after winning a sex discrimination case against the University of Surrey.

An employment tribunal said the university had rejected psychologist David Gilbert for a lecturing job because he had brought a sex discrimination claim against a previous employer.

It ruled that the university’s interview process “appeared to be weighted towards establishing facts about the claimant’s previous claim … rather than considering the suitability of the claimant for the position,” reports the Times Higher Education.

Gilbert resigned from the University of Hertfordshire in 2000, claiming that the university had mishandled complaints by female students that he had made improper remarks.

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In 2001, a tribunal found that he had been unfairly dismissed by Hertfordshire, but said he had not suffered sex discrimination.

In a statement, Surrey said: “We would prefer not to comment on this case at the moment, pending a decision on bringing forward legal action against Dr Gilbert.”