Indian Man Awarded Rs 81 Lakh Over UK KFC Manager's Racial Abuse
Indian worker from Tamil Nadu wins Rs 81 lakh compensation in UK tribunal for racial discrimination at KFC.
An Indian national working at a KFC franchise in south-east London has won nearly £67,000 (approximately ₹81 lakh) in compensation after a UK employment tribunal upheld his claims of racial discrimination and wrongful dismissal. The ruling has drawn attention to workplace racism and employer accountability in the UK.
The claimant, Madhesh Ravichandran from Tamil Nadu, told the tribunal that his Sri Lankan Tamil manager subjected him to repeated racial abuse. According to the judgment, the manager used derogatory terms such as “slave” and made statements like “Indians are fraudsters,” creating a hostile and humiliating work environment.
Tribunal Judge Paul Abbott ruled that the discrimination was deliberate and sustained. The judgment noted that Ravichandran’s holiday requests were rejected because of his nationality, while Sri Lankan Tamil colleagues were prioritised. The tribunal concluded that such treatment amounted to direct race discrimination under UK employment law.
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Ravichandran joined the KFC outlet in West Wickham in January 2023 but faced ongoing issues with excessive working hours and unfair treatment. Matters escalated in July when he was pressured to work unreasonable shifts, prompting him to resign. The tribunal accepted that follow-up calls from his manager involved racially abusive and threatening language.
The tribunal found that Ravichandran was wrongfully dismissed during his notice period and denied his legal right to notice pay. It awarded him £62,690 in compensation, with additional payments for unpaid holiday entitlements and employment documentation, taking the total to around £66,800.
In addition to financial compensation, the tribunal ordered Nexus Foods Limited, which operates the KFC franchise, to implement mandatory workplace discrimination training within six months. The ruling emphasised the responsibility of employers to ensure respectful treatment, proper grievance handling, and a discrimination-free work environment.
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