Company director Sarah Nelson had told the hearing that the firm had not thrown a proper Christmas party in 2018 because it was struggling financially, and instead just put $275 behind the bar at a local pub. Howie had not been invited. Nelson insisted it was just because “it was not a proper party and nor was it a normal year.”
In its findings, the Tribunal stated: “We accept there was no deliberate decision to exclude the Claimant. However, the reason she was not invited was that no-one thought about her. That was because she was on maternity leave. Had she been at work around this time, she would certainly have been invited. She was overlooked because she was on maternity leave. We, therefore, consider this complaint to be wellfounded.”
Source: LADBIBLE
