Kent Accountant Wins Unfair Dismissal Claim

A middle-aged accounts manager who was forced to dress up as Santa Claus and branded an "old buffer" has won an unfair dismissal claim against his former employer Dow Jones.

James McClellan, 53, was labelled a "misogynist" and told that he underestimated "the girls" by his manager Azmina Airi. Mr McClellan claimed he was sidelined and forced out of his £72,000 a year accountancy job in the payroll department of the publishers.

The father of three from Kent, South East England told a Central London Employment Tribunal that at their first meeting in October of 2013, Ms Airi had branded him rigid and stuck in his ways. The offensive comments and their portrayal of him as a sexist middle-aged man resulted in his resignation in February of last year.

The judge, Ms Tamara Lewis, said:

"He resigned because of Ms Airi's view of him, and also she undermined his position with his team, and because she gave him a verbal warning. The way she did that we find was a breach of trust."

Dow Jones and Mr McClellan reached a financial settlement in private.

If you think you might have been unfairly dismissed, contact our unfair dismissal solicitors on 0845 603 0708 for advice.

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