Social worker wins £28k over ‘unconscious’ discrimination

Lithuanian quit after she was placed under investigation by bosses

A SOCIAL worker who was ‘unconsciously’ discriminated against by a colleague has beenawarded more than £28,000 incompensation.

Lithuanian national Sandra Stanyte worked for the City of Edinburgh Council where she was put under investigation and moved to a different role.

Her bosses were informed she was not yet registered with the regulatory body for Scottish social workers despite being previously advised by an official she would have a year from commencing the job to get registered.

Ms Stanyte, who was left on the ‘verge of tears’ over her treatment, resigned amid claims her grievances had not been followed up and took the council to an employment tribunal. She has now beenawarded compensation after anemployment judge said her supervisor ‘was unconsciously motivated by the claimant’s Lithuaniannationality’.

The tribunal found Carey Fuller, the senior acting council officer who oversaw the probe into Ms Stanyte, had threatened to involve police. It said her decision to quit was ‘because of that discriminatory treatment’ and there was ‘no clear reason’ why a disciplinary was necessary in the first place.

Ms Stanyte qualified in her home country and had been employed as a social worker in NorthernIreland for nine years.

She was required to get her qualifications assessed by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), a process the claimant was told could be completed in 12 months. However, on checking the status of her registration in February last year, the SSSC replied saying she ‘should not be practising as a social worker’ as her qualification-had not yet been assessed.

The tribunal held in Edinburgh found this was ‘in conflict’ with Ms Stanyte’s understanding of what she had been told and she had been given ‘no indication’ that she could not take up that role.

Ms Fuller ‘considered phoning the police’ and wrote to Ms Stanyte to tell her a probe would start into allegations which could amount to gross misconduct and theft and fraud without giving details of the claims made. After being moved to another role that did not require SSSC certification, Ms Stanyte quit her job, citing work-related stress. She has beengiven £28,664.93 in compensation.

Employment judge Amanda Jones said: ‘It seemed to the tribunal that Ms Fuller was unconsciously motivated by the claimant’s Lithuanian nationality as it could not determine any other reason for the treatment.

‘It seemed to the tribunal as incredible that Ms Fuller would have acted in a similar manner towards a Scottish social worker with the experience of the claimant where an issue with that person’s registration arose and where they were provided with an explanationas to how that had arisen.’

The City of Edinburgh Council said: ‘We’re currently considering the outcome of the tribunal.’

‘No other reason for the treatment’