Couple whose software firm boss said their transgender son was ‘evil’ and they would ‘go to hell for supporting him’ are awarded £70,000 in damages for discrimination
- Vicky and Keith Brett left the manufacturing software firm Khi-Ro Limited
- Couple received abuse from the company director about transgender son
- Sued Khi-Ro for unfair dismissal after both left the company following abuse
A couple who were told by a company director that their transgender son was ‘evil’ and they were going to hell for supporting him have been awarded £70,000 in damages.
Vicky, 56, and Keith Brett, 55, left the manufacturing software firm Khi-Ro Limited in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, following a string of abuse they received from boss Kate Forman about their transgender son.
Ms Forman’s engineer husband Stuart Forman, 60, who was is also company director of the firm, also harassed the couple by not intervening when the comments were made in October 2018.
Mr Brett, who worked as an engineer, and his wife, who was company secretary, sued Khi-Ro for unfair dismissal after they both left the company following the abuse they received.
Vicky, 56, and Keith Brett, 55, sued the manufacturing software firm Khi-Ro Limited in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, after they were abused by the firm’s boss about their transgender son
The tribunal ordered Khi-Ro to pay the couple £35,000 each within 28 days.
An Employment tribunal in Cambridge ruled Mrs Brett was unfairly dismissed and the main reason for her dismissal was that she made ‘protected disclosures’ about her son.
Mr and Mrs Brett won their claim of direct discrimination due to sexual orientation or transexualism.
The virtual hearing held over four days in February also found that Mrs Brett was dismissed in breach of contract and suffered unlawful deductions from her wages as a result.
Mr Brett was also found to have been unfairly dismissed and dismissed in breach of contract.
He also suffered unlawful deductions from his wages and has not been paid for outstanding holiday pay, the tribunal found.
Employment Judge Michael Ord said in the panel’s judgement published today: ‘Both claimants [Vicky and Keith Brett] were the victims of direct discrimination on the protected characteristic of gender reassignment when they were told by Kate Forman that their transgender son was evil and going to hell that they were going to hell for supporting him.
‘At the same time, they were harassed by Mr Forman through his conduct when he was silent and did not seek to intervene when Mrs Forman – an employee of the respondent [Khi-Ro] – was abusing the first and second claimants in that way.’
The tribunal in Cambridge ordered Khi-Ro to pay the couple £35,000 each within 28 days. (Stock image)
Judge Ord added: ‘The first claimant was automatically unfairly dismissed the principal reason for her dismissal being that she had made protected disclosures.
‘The first claimant was dismissed in breach of contract, the first claimant suffered unlawful deductions from her wages which should have been paid in full and the first claimant has not been paid for outstanding holiday pay.
‘The second claimant was unfairly dismissed and was dismissed in breach of contract.
‘He suffered unlawful deductions from his wages and has not been paid for outstanding holiday pay to that date.’
Khi-Ro’s website states the company makes software for warehouse tracking as well as bar code labelling and scanning.