This Morning: Alice Thompson Defends £185K Payout After Sex Discrimination Case
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A mum has defended the £185,000 payout she received in a sex discrimination case after her employer dismissed her requests for earlier finishes to pick up her daughter from nursery.
Alice Thompson wanted to work shorter hours but found her employer denied her requests. She wanted to work a four day week, and leave at 5pm, rather than 6pm.
Her manager said they could not afford to accommodate her requests, however, Alice told the BBC her requests were not "seriously considered."
Alice appeared on This Morning on Thursday to defend the payout and to explain the reasons behind taking her former employer to a tribunal.
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After returning from maternity leave, Alice exercised her right to request flexible hours.
When Holly Willoughby asked how her employers reacted after she sent them an email and tried to speak with them, Alice responded: "A total refusal and no negotiation and no reasoning or explanation about why it wouldn't work and then a counter offer to suggest what might work for them. So, it was a stalemate, I just kept meeting roadblocks."
Alice resigned in December 2019 because it was "impossible" to work childcare around full time work. She then decided to proceed with legal proceedings shortly after.
She spent "thousands" on her case, and an employment tribunal ruled she had been the victim of indirect sex discrimination when the firm refused to consider her requests.
The judge awarded her £185,000 for lost earnings, loss of pension contributions and injury to feelings and interest.
Several claims raised by Alice including discrimination because of pregnancy and maternity and harassment were denied by the tribunal.
All employees who have worked with a firm for more than 26 weeks have the right to make a flexible working request.
A flexible working request can include different start and end times, doing your job over fewer days (also known as compressed hours) or a job share.
Employers must look at the employee's request fairly, following the Acas Code of Practice on flexible working requests. A decision after fair consideration must be made within a maximum of three months.
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