Sales manager wins £26,000 after being told his wife should be the one looking after poorly son

A sales manager was awarded £26,000 after his boss said it 'was his wife's job' to look after their poorly son.

Andre Bailey, who worked at ARH UK Ltd from July 2019 to October 2020, was being managed by the company's chief executive, Ian Coll, the Manchester tribunal heard.

The judge found that Mr Coll caused Mr Bailey to suffer from 'a pattern of behaviour which took place over a period of approximately 12 months'.

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In September 2019, the employee asked Mr Coll for time off work to look after his son who was ill.

"You're joking, aren't you? She should be doing it, shouldn't she? It's her job," Mr Coll said, according to the panel.

Then in March 2020, during the Covid pandemic, Mr Bailey made a flexible working request to help look after their son amid the death of his wife's brother.

However, while on furlough, Mr Coll still 'required' him to work and after another request was put in by Mr Bailey, the boss told him that his job was working for ARH - 'not looking after his son'.

When asking if he can just work from home, Mr Coll replied: "Just leave it."

Mr Bailey successfully sued ARH UK LYD for sex discrimination (£12,276) and unauthorised deduction from wages (£13,830) - totalling to £26,106.

The judge found that Mr Bailey, had been left 'humiliated and upset' and was 'adversely impacted' by Mr Coll's actions.

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Employment Judge Paul Humble said: "The tribunal found that Mr Coll held a traditional view as to Mr Bailey and his wife's respective roles to the effect that Mr Bailey, as the man of the family, was obligated to focus on his work and it was his wife's role was to focus upon the childcare.

"On that basis the tribunal find that there was sex discrimination.

"The tribunal found that Mr Coll's discriminatory comments and actions were not isolated incidents but rather a pattern of behaviour which took place over a period of approximately 12 months."

In total, Mr Bailey was awarded:

£9,900 for injury to feelings and £2,376 for interest

£6,100 for unpaid bonuses

£3,500 for unpaid furlough wages in April, May and June 2020

£4,230 for holiday pay

Tyla have contacted ARH UK Ltd for comment.