A UK employment tribunal has ordered a KFC franchise operator in south-east London to pay nearly £70,000 in compensation after ruling that a manager, identified as a Sri Lankan Tamil, racially harassed an Indian employee.
The case involved a KFC outlet in West Wickham operated by Nexus Foods Limited, where the tribunal found that the manager subjected the employee to direct race discrimination and harassment.
According to tribunal proceedings, the complainant, Madhesh Ravichandran, an Indian national from Tamil Nadu, began working at the branch in January 2023. Within two months, he faced discriminatory treatment from his manager, Kajan Theiventhiram, who the court heard had openly stated an intention to prioritise Sri Lankan Tamil staff over Indian workers.
During evidence, the tribunal was told that the manager referred to Mr. Ravichandran as a “slave” in conversation with another employee and denied him annual leave, decisions the judge found were influenced by race and nationality.
Employment Judge Paul Abbott accepted the claimant’s evidence, noting that he had been forced to work excessive hours due to the manager’s racially prejudiced attitude. The tribunal found that the employee was left “upset and humiliated” and later resigned following the treatment.
The tribunal also ruled that the franchise operator failed to conduct a proper investigation into the allegations when they were first raised.
As a result, Nexus Foods Limited was ordered to pay £66,800 in compensation and was advised to introduce mandatory workplace training to prevent future discrimination. (Newswire)