Posted: Friday 27 August 2010
Sacked For Wearing A Skirt…
A worker at Housing And Support Solutions Limited in Lincolnshire, Rachel (formerly Andrew) Millington, is awaiting a gender reassignment operation. She advised her employers that she wished to be called Rachel and intended to dress as a woman.
Three days later Rachel was dismissed. Her employer claimed her actions would upset other staff members and suggested she was simply going through a phase, according to media reports. Crucially, the employer discussed the situation with other staff members when Rachel was not present.
Rachel has now submitted a claim to the Employment Tribunal suing her employer for unfair dismissal, sex discrimination and loss of earnings.
This case highlights the need for employers to be very careful and sensitive when dealing with issues of gender re-assignment.
