Mugged Off! How A Missing Cup Brewed Up A Tribunal Claim…

A missing office mug and a denied holiday request were at the heart of a Tribunal claim brought by an employee against his former employer, Currys. Whilst the Tribunal dismissed nearly all of Mr Habib's claims, including those of race and sex discrimination, harassment and disability discrimination, it did find that he had been underpaid notice pay, awarding him just over £1,200.

This case highlights how interpersonal tensions and misunderstandings in the workplace, if left unaddressed, can snowball into costly and time-consuming disputes.

Background

Mr Adeel Habib, a British Asian man of Pakistani origin, was employed by Currys. During his time at the company, a series of disagreements and incidents led to a gradual breakdown in workplace relationships.