An Indian man from Tamil Nadu has won nearly £67,000 (around ₹70 lakh) in compensation after a UK employment tribunal ruled that he was racially discriminated against and wrongfully dismissed while working at a KFC outlet in London.
The complainant, Madhesh Ravichandran, began working at a KFC branch in West Wickham in January 2023. During the tribunal hearing, Ravichandran alleged that his manager subjected him to racial abuse, forced him to work extra hours, and treated him unfairly because of his race. According to reports, the manager allegedly referred to him as a “slave” and said he would prioritise Sri Lankan Tamil staff over others.
Leave Denied, Slurs Alleged
Ravichandran told the tribunal that just two months into his job, he was denied annual leave and later overheard his manager making derogatory remarks about him to another employee. He claimed that despite raising concerns internally, no proper investigation was carried out by the company.
He eventually resigned from his job, stating that the hostile work environment left him upset and humiliated. The tribunal accepted his evidence, including claims that he was pressured to work extra hours due to what the judge described as his manager’s “racially prejudiced attitude”.
Tribunal Orders Compensation, Training
Employment Judge Paul Abbott ruled that the refusal of Ravichandran’s leave request was “significantly influenced” by race and held that he had been subjected to racial discrimination, harassment, and wrongful dismissal. The tribunal awarded him £66,800 in compensation.
In addition to the payout, the judge recommended that all employees of Nexus Foods Limited, the company operating the KFC outlet, undergo workplace discrimination training to prevent similar incidents in the future.
