Leeds woman wins sex discrimination claim

A hospital consultant from Leeds has won a sex discrimination and race discrimination case after she was sacked for having a baby.

Eva Michalak, who is Polish born, was first suspended and then sacked from her job at Pontefract General Infirmary over allegations that she had bullied junior doctors and had arguments with colleagues. However an employment tribunal said that the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust fired her “for a reason that related to the claimant’s pregnancy”.

The tribunal heard how Dr Michalak was the first consultant physician at the hospital to take maternity leave and that the complaints of bullying surfaced when she returned to work, leading to her being suspended in January 2006 and sacked in 2008.

Angie Watson, chief operating officer at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We have unreservedly apologised to Dr Michalak. We will ensure that mistakes of the past will not be repeated in the future. We take the tribunal judgement extremely seriously and are committed to responding positively to it.”

Dr Michalak is now awaiting compensation from the trust.

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