Bullied worker awarded £28,000

A dyslexic factory worker who suffered bullying, including being shrink-wrapped by workmates, has been awarded £28,000 compensation for injury to his feelings. 

An employment tribunal was told that on several occasions, Lee Harling, a machine operator, was wrapped in clinging plastic by staff at the plastics factory where he worked. Once he almost suffocated by the clinging plastic. 

He also suffered verbal abuse because he could not read. When he complained to management, they failed to investigate.

After 18 months of jibes, Mr. Harling, 33, a father of two, from Bradford, walked out of his £200-a-week job at CL Plastics in Berkenshaw, West Yorkshire. “I hated working there but I had to stay because I have a young family and needed the money,” he said. “I was depressed all the time and couldn’t sleep.”

The Leeds tribunal, which granted the award, described Mt Harling as the work “punch bag”. It agreed that he had suffered discrimination because of his disability and that he was constructively dismissed. The tribunal said: “We emphasise this is a rather extreme case of barbarous treatment which, though at one time accepted in the work place, has now been outlawed. Employees as well as employers would be well advised to note this fact.”

CL Plastics said that it would not be appealing.

“The Times”