Hairdresser wins £90k compensation for ‘unfair dismissal’ from Thatcham salon
A hairdresser has been awarded nearly £90,000 in compensation after suing a Thatcham hair and beauty salon for unfair dismissal.
Kayleigh Flanagan began working as a senior stylist at Envy Thatcham, based in the Kingsland Centre, in June 2019.
But she asserted owner Amy Jury showed an “immediate change of attitude” towards her after she announced she was pregnant in December 2019.
Ms Flanagan alleged Ms Jury then removed her from the online booking system from February 2020.
An employment tribunal in Cambridge heard Ms Flanagan was effectively reduced to the role of an apprentice, “grabbing walk-ins” and making tea and cleaning the salon when there was nothing else to do.
Ms Flanagan also claimed to have suffered harassment from colleagues and relatives of Ms Jury, with one employee shouting at her saying “look at you ya scabby little c*** with your scabby baby” when her baby was just a few weeks old.
Judge L Brown said: “We found there was a culture of unpleasant language and inflammatory words being spoken to the claimant by others and that this treatment was because she was a worker on maternity leave.”
The court also heard the employer had failed to adequately investigate complaints and grievances by Ms Flanagan, who had completed more than two years’ service by the time she resigned in November 2021.
Judge Brown found her claims of constructive unfair dismissal “well-founded” and these succeeded.
Her claims for unfavourable treatment as a pregnant worker and victimisation both partially succeeded.
But her claims for harassment failed as pregnancy and maternity are not protected characteristics under Section 26 of the Equality Act 2010.
Ms Flanagan has been awarded an grand total of £89,849.38 in compensation and damages.