Current:Home > StocksUK worker gets $86,000 after manager allegedly trashed "bald-headed 50-year-old men"-LoTradeCoin
UK worker gets $86,000 after manager allegedly trashed "bald-headed 50-year-old men"
View Date:2024-12-23 18:51:34
A 61-year-old worker in the U.K. has won $86,000 in damages after he said his manager made ageist comments, including that he didn't want a team of "bald-headed 50-year-old men."
The United Kingdom's employment tribunal ruled earlier this month that Mark Jones was unfairly dismissed from his job as a salesperson at the U.K.'s Tango Networks because of his age, and awarded him damages of more than a year's pay.
According to the ruling, Jones started work at Tango Networks UK in 2019, at the age of 59, and worked there for two years. During that time, Jones' manager, Philip Hesketh, repeatedly referred to his desired sales team as "high energy, energetic and youthful," according to the document.
In 2020, the company was hiring for a new sales role and interviewed a candidate whom Jones recommended. Afterwards, Hesketh allegedly asked Jones about the candidate's age, according to the ruling. When told the candidate was 57, Hesketh allegedly replied "Yes, he did look old," and said that "he wanted someone younger for the role" and "who was ideally female," according to the ruling.
Hesketh also allegedly said "I don't want a team of bald-headed 50-year-old men — I want to change the dynamics," according to the ruling.
The court document found that Tango Networks ultimately extended job offers to two candidates who were the youngest of the finalists interviewed, and Hesketh made clear his intention to replace Jones with one of the new hires. Jones found out about that plan via a publicly available calendar invite set for December 18, which read, in part: "I'd like to make an offer to each on the provision we move Mark on very early in Jan 2021."
Performance improvement plan
After going on holiday and being out with illness, Jones returned to work in mid-January. A few weeks later he was formally put on a performance improvement plan. Jones filed a complaint with his employer and resigned March 2, claiming he was forced out because of his age.
Jones' employer said he was underperforming, but the company "failed to produce any compelling evidence to objectively justify that," according to the tribunal, which noted there was "no objective information against which he is compared."
The court did not corroborate Jones' allegations that his boss made remarks about baldness, but it found that statements his both made about wanting a "youthful" and "energetic" team "chipped away at the relationship" between employer and employee.
The court ordered a payment of 71,441.36 pounds to Jones — about $86,000 — to cover unfair dismissal, dismissal in breach of contract and "injury to feelings," as well as an added topper to cover the taxes due on the award.
A spokesperson with Tango Networks said that Hasketh, Jones' manager, no longer works at the company.
It's not the first time baldness has made an appearance in an employment dispute. Last year, a U.K. tribunal ruled that a man whose supervisor called him a "bald c—" was a victim of sexual harassment. In that case, the panel of three male judges concluded that baldness — being much more common in men than women — is "inherently related to sex."
- In:
- Employment
veryGood! (61383)
Related
- 'Red One' review: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans embark on a joyless search for Santa
- How Teresa Giudice and Luis Ruelas Will Celebrate 2nd Wedding Anniversary
- Pregnant Hailey Bieber Reveals She's Not “Super Close” With Her Family at This Point in Life
- Israel's Netanyahu in Washington for high-stakes visit as death toll in Gaza war nears 40,000
- Pistons' Tim Hardaway Jr. leaves in wheelchair after banging head on court
- MLB trade deadline: Should these bubble teams buy or sell?
- Josh Hartnett Makes Rare Comment About His Kids With Tamsin Egerton
- Data shows hurricanes and earthquakes grab headlines but inland counties top disaster list
- Republican Vos reelected as Wisconsin Assembly speaker despite losing seats, fights with Trump
- As doctors leave Puerto Rico in droves, a rapper tries to fill the gaps
Ranking
- Deion Sanders doubles down on vow to 99-year-old Colorado superfan
- Who can challenge U.S. men's basketball at Paris Olympics? Power rankings for all 12 teams
- How to play a game and win free Chick-fil-A: What to know about Code Moo
- US Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey is resigning from office following his corruption conviction
- Sting Says Sean Diddy Combs Allegations Don't Taint His Song
- Man convicted of kidnapping Michigan store manager to steal guns gets 15 years in prison
- Toronto Film Festival lineup includes movies from Angelina Jolie, Mike Leigh, more
- Blake Lively Quips She’d Be an “A--hole” If She Did This
Recommendation
-
Police identify 7-year-old child killed in North Carolina weekend shooting
-
Pope Francis calls for Olympic truce for countries at war
-
Tobey Maguire's Ex Jennifer Meyer Shares How Gwyneth Paltrow Helped With Her Breakup
-
Foreign leaders react to Biden's decision not to seek reelection
-
COINIXIAI Introduce
-
As hurricane season begins, here’s how small businesses can prepare in advance of a storm
-
Get your hands on Deadpool's 'buns of steel' with new Xbox controller featuring 'cheeky' grip
-
Olympic swimmers will be diving into the (dirty) Seine. Would you do it?