Head of HR sues ex-MD for transgender discrimination

A former Head of HR for a retail company is suing her boss after she heard him refer to a transgender employee as “it”.

Jackie Atkinson, who used to be the HR Chief at Bodnant Welsh Foods, filed a lawsuit citing “associative discrimination” against Managing Director Chris Morton, because of her familiarity with a transgender employee and two gay staff members.

Associative discrimination is the act of discriminating against an individual due to an association with a person who has a protected characteristic. i.e. age, disability, sexuality, race and religion.

According to The Daily Post, the tribunal heard that Morton’s relationship with Atkinson deteriorated last year, and that she had been made homeless by the company’s actions. She went on to say that a grievance brought by her against Morton had led to her redundancy.