KFC boss pays nearly £70,000 in damages after calling his worker ‘a slave’

A KFC franchisee will have to fork out almost £70,000 after a manager called an Indian worker a ‘slave’ and forced him to work extra hours.

Madhesh Ravichandran began working at the West Wickham KFC outlet in January 2023 and was soon working more hours than required in his contract, the tribunal in London heard.

In March 2023, Mr Ravichandran was refused annual leave – at which point he heard his boss, Kajan Theiventhiram, telling a colleague he would prioritise Sri Lankan Tamil staff.

He also referred to Mr Ravichandran as ‘a shit’ and ‘slave’, the tribunal heard.

Tribunal judge Paul Abbott found that Mr Ravichandran was ‘upset and humiliated’ and that the refusal of his annual leave request was ‘significantly influenced’ by the fact he was Indian.

The judge also found that Mr Ravichandran was forced to work excessive hours because his boss was ‘racially prejudiced’ towards him.

Months later, Mr Ravichandran resigned, but no real investigation took place into his allegations.

He brought forth a wrongful dismissal suit focused on race discrimination, racial harassment and victimisation.

Mr Ravichandran was given some £66,800 in compensation, and Nexus Foods Limited, which operates the KFC location, will have to implement a training program for discrimination.

Earlier this month, a firefighter who complained that a colleague she was in a relationship with was snooping through her diary was handed a £40,000 payout.

Kelly Rice started dating a senior colleague and mentor at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service in April 2019.

A tribunal heard the man was caught reading her journal, and Ms Rice also complained he searched through her bag at their station.

Bosses found that the man, whose identity has not been disclosed, ‘bullied and harassed’ Ms Rice.

She refused to work in active duty and claimed the workplace culture caused anxiety and depression.

The firefighter has now won her claims for unfair dismissal and disability discrimination and was awarded £42,853.73 after it was ruled she was forced out of her job.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@usnewsrank.com.

For more stories like this, check our news page.