Lesbian couple ‘wins in employment tribunal’

A lesbian couple has won more than £22,000 in compensation following an employment tribunal that saw the women claim they had been subject to humiliating jokes in their workplace.

Beth Moules and Sharleen Amos both held down positions in sales at Aquatec Rainsoft, the water purifier business.

The couple alleged that their relationship was described as “disgusting” by one colleague and that when they complained, their manager Stephen Baker-Joy said that “lesbians had never and would never suffer in the way that Jews had”.

Shortly following the complaint, Ms Amos was fired over the phone, while her partner later resigned and claimed constructive dismissal.

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Ms Amos has now been awarded £5,000 for unfair dismissal and Ms Moules won £7,000, while they also received an additional £5,000 each for discrimination.

The Ministry of Justice recently outlined proposals for new regulations to be introduced to govern damages-based contingency fee agreements – typically used in employment tribunals.