Council loses second appeal in discrimination case

Bindu Parmar worked for Leicester City Council for 33 years

Leicester City Council has lost a second court appeal after an employment tribunal found it racially discriminated against an employee.

In 2023, a tribunal panel found "race played a part" in decisions made by a senior member of staff in relation to social worker Bindu Parmar.

The council appealed to the Employment Appeal Tribunal, but that was dismissed in 2024.

On Tuesday, three Court of Appeal judges dismissed the council's second appeal.

Mrs Parmar, a British national of Indian origin, claimed she was discriminated against after she was made the subject of a disciplinary investigation in January 2021.

She was accused of not acting in line with leadership standards, but the employment tribunal heard in 2023 there was "nothing of substance" to start an investigation.

It also found there was "no other credible explanation" for how Mrs Parmar was treated.

The city council is considering whether to appeal for a third time

The council appealed against the original decision on 11 grounds, arguing the panel used insufficient grounds to shift the burden of proof on to the authority during the tribunal and failed to show adequate reasoning for its conclusion.

But all 11 grounds were dismissed.

In its arguments to the Court of Appeal, the authority argued again that the burden of proof shifting to the organisation from Mrs Parmar was wrong and that errors were made in the initial tribunal and first appeal.

All four grounds of its latest appeal were dismissed.

Mrs Parmar, who said she left her role at the city council in 2022 after 33 years, told the BBC while she felt "vindicated" once again by ruling, she was "frustrated" by the council's decision to appeal in the first place.

'It's embarrassing'

She said: "I'm disappointed that the council has chosen to waste taxpayers' money by fighting my case again and again.

"What's frustrating is that most organisations would or should just accept it, apologise, make the necessary changes and move on, but they're fighting tooth and nail for something they don't need to fight.

"It's embarrassing."

She added she believed the council was "sending a message" to others who might be concerned about their treatment in the workplace by appealing the case.

Christina McAnea, general secretary of the union Unison - which has been supporting Mrs Parmar - called the council's decision to appeal "appalling".

She said: "Local authorities should never be allowed to waste public money like this."

A council spokesman said: "We have recently received the judgement and are carefully reviewing it, before considering whether or not to appeal."

Mrs Parmar said she was also bringing an unfair dismissal claim against the city council, with a hearing due to take place this year.