A South London fast-food franchisee has been ordered to pay a former employee £66,800 in compensation after an employment tribunal found he was subjected to racist abuse, including being called a 'slave', and forced to work excessive hours.
Racist Slurs and Excessive Hours
The tribunal in London heard that Madhesh Ravichandran, who is from Tamil Nadu in India, started working at the Nexus Foods Limited-run KFC outlet on High Street in West Wickham, Bromley, in January 2023. He soon found himself working far beyond the hours stipulated in his contract.
In a damning finding, Judge Paul Abbott accepted Mr Ravichandran's evidence that he was being 'forced' to work excessive hours due to the 'racially prejudiced attitude' of his manager, Kajan Theiventhiram.
The situation escalated in March 2023 when Mr Ravichandran's request for annual leave was refused. During this period, he overheard Mr Theiventhiram telling a colleague he would prioritise Sri Lankan Tamil staff. The manager then referred to Mr Ravichandran as 'this shit' and 'this slave'.
Tribunal Findings and Company Failures
Judge Abbott concluded that Mr Ravichandran was left 'upset and humiliated' by the remarks. The tribunal ruled that the refusal of his leave request was 'significantly influenced' by his race.
Months later, Mr Ravichandran resigned from his position. The tribunal found that no proper investigation was conducted by Nexus Foods Limited into his serious allegations after he left.
The judge made several key rulings against the employer:
- Wrongful dismissal
- Direct race discrimination
- Harassment related to race
- Victimisation
Substantial Payout and Mandatory Training
As a result of the tribunal's findings, Nexus Foods Limited must pay £66,800 in compensation to Mr Ravichandran.
In addition to the financial penalty, the tribunal issued a recommendation aimed at preventing future incidents. It stated that the company must implement a comprehensive training programme for all employees concerning discrimination, harassment, and victimisation in the workplace.
This case highlights the severe legal and financial repercussions for businesses that fail to address racist behaviour and uphold their duties under the Equality Act 2010.
