A Jewish health worker was told that returning to her job in a hospital after being wrongly sacked would be like a Jew working for the Gestapo.
Judy Williams, 52, a child psychotherapist, was dismissed after she was accused of acting inappropriately to a vulnerable adult.
But she won a case of unfair dismissal and was awarded £80,000 after a tribunal heard that human resources boss, Nadine Powell, said: ‘If someone was of strong Jewish faith then you would not expect them to work in the Gestapo as they would not fit.’
The comments came at a meeting with bosses about plans for her to return to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.
Miss Williams, whose parents fled to Britain from Egypt to escape the Nazis, said yesterday: ‘My Jewish identity is very important to me. I feel physically sick. It was vile, really. It continues to make me tearful.’
Miss Williams, of Chorlton, Manchester, was awarded a further £4,500 at a tribunal after a judge ruled she was unlawfully discriminated against.
In an email to her union representative Andy Gill, Mrs Powell said she was unaware of Miss Williams’s Jewish heritage and apologised.
But hospital bosses refused to say if she has been disciplined.
Judge David Hewitt ruled she was unlawfully discriminated against under the Race Relations Act.
But despite the payout, no apology has been issued by the trust - and bosses have refused to say if Ms Powell - who is second in command of the department - has been disciplined.
It is understood that she has been on sick leave for several months. She was not at the tribunal.
Trust bosses told the court they had been unable to interview her about the incident because of her sickness - and could therefore offer no explanation for her comments.
The court heard how Ms Williams, 52, from Chorlton, Manchester, was asked to attend a meeting on July 13 last year to talk about her return to work.
They discussed possible roles for her - and Ms Powell said the trust had concerns about her 'values'.
She then said she was going to say something 'politically incorrect' and made the comment - which compared the NHS to the Gestapo.
Ms Williams broke down when she recalled the incident - and had to repeatedly wipe away tears at the hearing.
She said: 'I was stunned by Nadine's comment, I was shocked.
'I thought it was an appalling analogy for her to have used.
'I am Jewish. My Jewish identity is very important to me.
'I feel physically sick - I had refugee parents and I am very proud of who I am. The comment was about Jews and the Gestapo and not having a place to fit.
'It was vile, really.'
Health bosses admitted liability, but the case still ended up at a tribunal because they could not reach a settlement.
Judge David Hewitt said: 'We are satisfied that Ms Williams was seriously upset and offended by that remark.
'It was a remark made by an extremely senior worker in a return to work meeting, where Ms Williams should have been made to feel at ease.'
After the hearing at Manchester's tribunals court, Ms Williams said she was relieved the case was over but remained upset that no apology had been issued.
A hospital spokeswoman said: 'This is a matter which we are dealing with directly with Ms Williams and her representatives.
'As an organisation we take issues of any discrimination seriously.'
Offensive: Human resources boss Nadine Powell claimed Miss Williams' return to work would be like a Jew working for the Gestapo
The photograph of Nadine Powell has been unlawfully used by the MEN and MAIL ON LINE. Please remove this from your site too.
ReplyDeleteThis photograph is copyrighted by Mr. A. Powell and should be removed before you are charged for using it.
ReplyDeletefrom what i read in all papers, Judy seems a very good child psychotherapist, looking after that poor girl Pamele, and should not have been dismissed, its obvious colleagues where you work know all about if you are Jewish, conversations arise, why would powell say that out of the blue! Did Judy Williams win the court case for Manchester NHS payment for the girl Pams care?
ReplyDeleteFrom my own personal experience, this kind of thing is very rampant & what people experience right through out that hospital, right through the chain of command from top to bottom, you have very bigoted corrupt personnel who have no business working with the public. If they wore Nazi uniforms, it would just be like the Nazi regime, If you read this story correctly Judy helps that young Lady P with round the clock "Assistance Help & Carers" not abuse, Thank God for Judy, its he we must Thank. I take my hat off to you Judy :)
ReplyDeleteFrom my own personal experience, this kind of thing is very rampant & what people experience right through out that Manchester Royal Infirmary hospital, right through the chain of command from top to bottom, you have very bigoted corrupt personnel who have no business working with the public. If they wore Nazi uniforms, it would just be like the Nazi regime, Nadine Powell was the boss - she should know - she made that comment. If you read this story correctly Judy helped that young Lady P (not abuse), Judy is a comparable St, Thank God for Judy, its he we must Thank. I take my hat off to you Judy... :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes people do and say the wrong thing. Both Judy and Nadine have, in the course of their careers, probably sometimes said or done things that, if reviewed later by others, could be deemed as inappropriate or unprofessional.
ReplyDeleteHowever, that is not to say that they are both not good and decent people - perhaps people should be judged more by the remorse they show after making a mistake and the efforts they make to say sorry and put things right?
Judy should be judged by how she uses the £4500 compensation - give it it to an appropriate charity perhaps? As for Nadine, I know she has stepped away from her responsibilities and come out of the NHS and is taking stock of her life
I hope they both put this behind them, say sorry and move on with the love and support of their friends and families?
ReplyDeleteSorry just reread the article and other reports:
ReplyDelete1, unfairly dismissed - which often means guilty of being Crap at their job but hard to get rid of legally - these people often stay in jobs for years and are hopeless. When dismissed these people often find a way of get money out of someone - it's NEVER their fault they are crap!!!
Yes HR boss said something that was not PC but I am half Jewish and I am not offended in the slightest - how far back in history can we all go before we find our own class or culture was persecuted - applies to Jews, Christians, Muslims etc etc - come on - stop taking offence about things that happened to our ancestors and MAN UP!!!!!!!