Young woman wins lawsuit after being fired for wearing sports shoes

A 20-year-old woman in the UK, fired for wearing trainers (sports shoes) to work, has won £30,000 (approximately Rs10,644,786) in compensation after an employment tribunal ruled in her favour.

Elizabeth Benassi, who worked at Maximus UK Services, said she was unfairly treated because of her footwear choice, even though her colleagues wore similar shoes without facing any consequences.

Benassi joined the recruitment agency in 2022 at the age of 18. However, her employment lasted only three months after a manager criticised her trainers.

She told the court she was unaware of any formal dress code and claimed her dismissal was an act of victimisation.

The tribunal, held in Croydon, south London, agreed with Benassi, stating the company seemed to be “finding faults” with her.

Maximus UK Services, which works with the Department for Work and Pensions, denied any wrongdoing. However, the tribunal noted that Benassi, the youngest employee in her workplace, was micromanaged because of her age and unfairly criticised for wearing trainers.

Judge Forwell said no consideration was given to the fact that Benassi was new and might not have known about the dress code, calling it a clear case of unfair treatment.

This ruling highlights concerns about workplace discrimination and the importance of fair treatment for young employees. It also emphasises the need for companies to clearly communicate workplace policies.