Lloyds bank boss was unfairly dismissed over query about the N-word which was ‘not intended to cause hurt’, tribunal finds
- Carl Borg-Neal is expected to receive a significant compensation sum
- Lloyds Bank are considering appealing the judgment made
A bank manager was unfairly sacked for seeking advice on what to do if he heard a black person using the N-word at work, a tribunal has ruled.
Carl Borg-Neal, 58, raised the question during a Lloyds Bank race education training session, but in doing so inadvertently used the word in full himself.
He apologised immediately.
It left the woman leading the exercise apparently so ‘badly distressed’ that she had to take a week off – a ‘key reason’ for the decision to dismiss Mr Borg-Neal for gross misconduct.
But the London Central Employment Tribunal panel said the manager was thinking of ‘the use of the N-word by black people in rap lyrics or to each other when playing basketball’ and did not intend to cause hurt, adding that his question was valid and without malice.
Carl Borg-Neal, 58, raised the question during a Lloyds Bank race education training session, but in doing so inadvertently used the word in full himself
Lloyds Bank said: ‘We have a zero-tolerance policy on… racist language and are considering appealing the judgment made.’
Mr Borg-Neal, a former mayor and councillor from Andover, Hampshire, blamed dyslexia and successfully claimed disability discrimination.
Compensation has yet to be decided but Mr Borg-Neal – who worked at the bank for 17 years – is expected to receive a significant sum.
Lloyds Bank said: ‘We have a zero-tolerance policy on… racist language and are considering appealing the judgment made.’
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