Latvian worker wins payout over discrimination claim
A LATVIAN factory worker banned from speaking in her first language at work has won a discrimination claim after she was denied an interpreter in meetings with managers, an employment tribunal has ruled.
Albina Sokolova was disciplined because she admitted conversing with other Eastern Europeans in nonenglish, despite having no complaints against her from colleagues and supervisors.
Mrs Sokolova was warned she shouldn’t use her native tongue while working as a production operative at Humdinger Limited, a fruit and nut snack supplier, before she was sacked in July last year.
She launched a discrimination claim after her request for an interpreter to accompany her to disciplinary and grievance meetings was refused.
An employment tribunal found Mrs Sokolova was “disadvantaged” by not being able to speak her preferred language in meetings.
Compensation of £10,800 has been awarded for indirect race discrimination and injury to feelings.
The tribunal heard Mrs Sokolova began working at the factory in Hull in 2010, shortly after she moved to the UK. In 2015, the firm introduced a new “language policy” which stated “English was to be spoken in the workplace”.
The Hull tribunal heard Mrs Sokolova discussed the policy during a meeting with bosses in February 2017.
Two-and-a-half years later Mrs Sokolova requested leave for a dental appointment in Latvia which was denied.
She cancelled the appointment and attended work on the day it had been due to take place, but was absent through sickness the next day.
She was invited to an interview about the unauthorised absence and requested for her daughter, said to be fluent in Latvian, Russian and English, to attend and interpret for her. However, the plea was turned down.
Mrs Sokolova later submitted several grievances with her employers, the tribunal was told.
The panel ruled grievance and disciplinary meetings require “full and comprehensive” communication.