On Wednesday 6th January, a former Hindu manager with Royal Mail who was mistaken for a Muslim won his fight against religious discrimination at workplace. Mathan Shunmugaraja has been awarded nearly £230,000 after a tribunal concluded that he had been subjected to harassment and workplace discrimination.
Mathan was reportedly called a “sly dog” by one of his colleague and was embroiled in a dispute with another over the use of a room in which he was mistaken for a Muslim. The tribunal also heard that after Mathan took time off work because of anxiety, one of his bosses threatened to stop his sick pay
Mathan of British Indian origin, reportedly began working for Royal Mail in Cardiff in August 2007 and by 2017 was earning £32,000 a year. His colleague called him “a sly dog” and insisted that the slur did not have racial connotations but the tribunal accepted the term “dog” and the phrase “sly dog” would be perceived as an insult in many cultures and could have racial connotations.
It said: “The tribunal finds it was reasonable for the claimant to be so offended, given that the term is regarded as being highly offensive in many cultures.”
Meanwhile, Mathan was particularly upset that the comment had been made in front of his line manager but no further action was taken against the colleague. He began using a space known as the “quiet room” that a Christian colleague used for praying. In August 2017 the colleague reacted angrily when he realised that he was using it as a meeting room. He got his religion wrong, saying he would not have used a Muslim prayer room for the meeting. The tribunal concluded this amounted to religious discrimination.
The tribunal said: “The claimant loved his job, was clearly performing at a very good level and had every expectation that he would continue to progress his career at Royal Mail until his retirement.”
Royal Mail was ordered to pay £229,000, which includes compensation for lost and future earnings and for injury to feelings.
In a statement to The Guardian, a spokesperson for The Royal Mail said, “Royal Mail is disappointed by this decision. We are now carefully reviewing the findings. Royal Mail takes its equality and diversity obligations very seriously and is committed to a workplace free of discrimination and harassment, where our colleagues feel respected and able to thrive.”
