The Employment Tribunal has given judgment in the case of Wright-Turner v London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, in what is believed to be the largest award of compensation to be made by an ET in a public sector case.
Ben Collins KC, instructed by Peter Daly of Doyle Clayton, has represented Ms Wright-Turner from the outset of her claim, which began following her dismissal in 2018. In 2021 the tribunal found that she had been subjected to discrimination and harassment by the Respondents because of disability (https://www.gov.uk/employment-tribunal-decisions/mrs-r-wright-turner-v-london-borough-of-hammersmith-and-fulham-and-ms-k-dero-2206237-slash-2018) – she has ADHD and began to suffer symptoms of PTSD after working as the humanitarian assistance lead in the aftermath of the Grenfell fire.
The consequences of her dismissal and the lengthy tribunal proceedings gave rise to significant psychiatric injury. On 15 March 2024 the tribunal made an award of £4,580,587.39 compensation, including awards for aggravated and exemplary damages.
Before this case, the highest ET award in a public sector case is believed to have been made in Michalak v Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, in which the Claimant (represented by Jane McNeill KC of Old Square Chambers) was awarded £4.5 million compensation for sex and race discrimination.
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