Wed, 1 Jun 2011

MP concern over tribunal gagging

A celebrity chef will face an employment tribunal, following allegations of non-payment of wages, unfair dismissal and sexual discrimination by two former employees.

Another employee who is a former chief executive of the company is also suing the unnamed chef for age discrimination and non-payment of wages.

Payroll World is prevented from reporting the full details of the case because the chef in question obtained a temporary gagging order.

A member of parliament has raised concerns over the gagging order obtained by the chef, saying the decision is questionable.

Talking to Payroll World, Lib Dem MP for Birmingham Yardley, John Hemming, who is compiling a report on superinjunctions, said he found the decision odd: ‘I found this a particularly odd decision. If an employer is facing an employment tribunal, and the proceeding is anonymous it seems a rather depressing movement away from open justice.’

Regarding the decision, Hemming added: ‘This information was already in the public domain prior to that hearing and is widely available, so I wonder what [the chef] is trying to achieve.’

Louise Bagshawe, Conservative MP for East Northamptonshire, told the Daily Telegraph: ‘This case embodies the concerns that many MPs have about superinjunctions. In an employment case, it seems there is a clear element of public interest in knowing the names and the relationship of the people involved’ (see Leader, page 5).