Firm pays £5,000 to racially harassed worker

A cleaning company was ordered to pay one of its former employees thousands of pounds after reportedly using racist language towards them and deducting their wages.

TBS East Anglia Ltd, which operates out of Ipswich, was told to pay the woman more than £5,000 in compensation by an employment tribunal.

The firm's managing director, Terence Baker, was accused of referring to her as a "Latvian" and "foreigner" in a derogatory way while using swear words.

When approached by the BBC, Baker disputed the claims and said the company intended to lodge an appeal.

According to a public document, the firm deducted £528 - or 44 hours - worth of wages from the employee's pay between December 2022 and February 2023.

The tribunal also said it had failed to pay her £120 for 10 hours' worth of holiday days which she had accrued but not taken by the time her employment ended.

It also agreed that she had been subjected to "harassment relating to race" in respect of the language Baker is alleged to have used towards her.

The tribunal ruled that all the claims were "well-founded" and ordered the company to pay £5,648 in compensation within 14 days of its decision.

"We have started the appeal process and have nothing else to comment at this time," said Baker.

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