£6.5m compensation awarded in descrimination cases
The Equal Opportunities Review (EOR) have published the results of a survey of all tribunal awards made in discrimination cases in 2008, which show that they have increased to the highest levels yet recorded. In 2008, the average total award was £17,099 and the total amount awarded came to more than £6½ m.
The EOR survey, published in editions 189 to191, covers 387 cases, a substantial increase on last year’s 316. This is partly due to the new jurisdictions. The survey is based on research of all cases filed in the respective central tribunal offices for England, Wales and Scotland.
The total amount awarded by tribunals in discrimination cases in 2008 was £6,617,220 million. With interest, employers paid out £6,798,100 million. This is an increase of 48% over the previous year. It is partly explained by two awards in 2008 of almost £½m each.
Awards for injury to feelings, including aggravated damages, amounted to £2,248,177million, in total, accounting for 34% of the total awards. Most noticeably, the total amount awarded in sex discrimination cases increased by 62% on the previous year, and amounted to over £2½ million. A separate award for personal injury was made in 11 cases in 2008, ranging from £1,000 to £25,000. The highest, average and median figures, set out by case type, are in the table below.
|
Case Type |
Highest |
Average |
Median |
|
Age Disability Race Religion or belief Sex Sexual orientation |
£92,499 £449,212 £452,914 £16,905 £113,105 £59,241 |
£15,080 £21,339 £18,200 £8,248 £13,312 £33,724 |
£4,503 £8,000 £6,325 £5,750 £9,109 £36,364 |
This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment tribunal and appellate court cases are reported, the information does not set out all of the facts, the legal arguments presented and the judgments made in every aspect of the case. Employment law is subject to constant change either by statute or by interpretation by the courts. While every care has been taken in compiling this information, we cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Specialist legal advice must be taken on any legal issues that may arise before embarking upon any formal course of action.
