Archive - Wednesday, 16 June 2004


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Sacked mum wins case

A SINGLE mum who was sacked by a "Scrooge" boss on Christmas Eve won her sex discrimination case yesterday.

Eileen Hall, 44, wept tears of joy when a Cardiff industrial tribunal found in her favour.

Ms Hall, of St Crispin Close, Monmouth, was working at the town's Grown For You greengrocers on Monnow Street.

She was supposed to work until 2.30pm on Christmas Eve while her 14-year-old son, Michael, was at home with his younger brother, James, now seven.

She agreed to work until 3.30pm but when she was told she would have to stay until 5 or 5.30pm she said she had to go to home. It was at that point that manager Brian Mason sacked her, the tribunal was told.

Grown for You have subsequently left the Monnow Way building and went into receivership. The proprietor Steve Foster sent word to the tribunal that he could not attend because he was "physically and mentally unwell."

Chairwoman of the tribunal Dr Rachel Davies said indirect sexual discrimination had been proved.

Dr Davies said the sacking had "caused Ms Hall considerable stress and concern about her children and left her without an income for four weeks."

She said: "Worry about children is a severe detriment and especially on Christmas Eve."

Dr Davies ordered £510 in lost income and £750 in compensation to be paid by the firm to Ms Hall.

After the proceedings Ms Hall told how she was devastated by the sacking that ruined her Christmas.

She said: "They had behaved like Scrooge and I cried all the way home. I had to put on a brave face for the kids but I was really upset and worried. I couldn't sleep; I couldn't eat and I lost a lot of weight.

"It was never about the money, it was about the principle. I was sacked for no good reason."