KFC Manager’s Racial Slurs Lead to Landmark £67,000 Payout for Indian Employee

An Indian national has won a major racial discrimination case against a KFC outlet in London. Madhesh Ravichandran was awarded nearly £67,000 after a tribunal found he was subjected to abuse and wrongful dismissal. The ruling was published this week by the UK Employment Tribunal.The victim’s manager, a Sri Lankan Tamil man, repeatedly called him a “slave” and made derogatory comments about Indians. Judge Paul Abbott ruled the company, Nexus Foods Limited, was guilty of direct race discrimination.

Court Details a Pattern of Harassment and Abuse

Mr. Ravichandran began working at the West Wickham KFC in January 2023. His direct manager, identified as Kajan, was his interviewer. According to tribunal evidence, the workplace environment deteriorated over several months.The manager refused Mr. Ravichandran’s holiday requests, prioritizing Sri Lankan Tamil colleagues instead. Kajan also made offensive statements, calling Indians “fraudsters.” The situation reached a breaking point in July 2023 over a dispute about excessive work hours.

A “Violation of Dignity” and Wrongful Dismissal

Judge Abbott stated the racial abuse had the “purpose and effect of violating the claimant’s dignity.” After Mr. Ravichandran submitted his resignation, Kajan became “racially abusive and threatening” during phone calls. The company then fired him summarily during his notice period.The tribunal found this dismissal was wrongful. The company failed to provide the one week of notice pay required by law. There was no assertion that Mr. Ravichandran had done anything to justify immediate dismissal.

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This substantial KFC racial discrimination payout underscores the serious legal consequences for workplace harassment. The judgment sends a clear message about the unacceptable nature of racial abuse in any professional setting.

Info at your fingertips

Q1: How much was the KFC racial discrimination payout?

The total compensation awarded was approximately £66,800. This included a main award of £62,690 for injury to feelings and lost earnings, plus additional amounts for holiday pay and other entitlements.

Q2: What exactly did the manager say?

The tribunal found the manager, Kajan, called the employee a “slave” and “shit.” He also made a general offensive comment that “Indians are fraudsters” while speaking to Mr. Ravichandran.

Q3: Why was the dismissal considered wrongful?

The employee was fired during his statutory notice period without cause. The company could not show he had done anything to warrant dismissal without notice, violating UK employment law.

Q4: Who owns the KFC franchise involved?

The respondent in the case was Nexus Foods Limited. This is the franchisee company that operates the specific KFC outlet in West Wickham, south-east London.

Q5: What is the legal significance of this case?

The ruling is a public tribunal judgment that reinforces legal protections against racial harassment. It demonstrates that discriminatory verbal abuse from a manager can result in significant financial penalties for employers.

Trusted Sources: Press Trust of India (PTI), UK Employment Tribunal judgments.