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Rachel Meade awarded exemplary damages

57 replies

Lovelyview · 29/04/2024 09:05

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c18e91c6-e124-4a6d-a491-87031e762e6d?shareToken=6c9d5a2ee8339d1d0efeb44de2f7782a

This has made me feel ridiculously cheerful today 🙂

Social worker Rachel Meade has been awarded exemplary damages of £58,000 against Social Work England and Westminster City Council. She was suspended from her job as a social worker due to her gender critical beliefs.

'Awarding the damages, the tribunal judge, Richard Nicolle, said that Social Work England’s actions constituted a “serious abuse of its power as a regulatory body”.
The judge said that the regulator had “allowed its processes to be subverted to punish and suppress” Meade’s lawful political speech, and to do so on grounds of her protected beliefs. In doing so it had violated her right to free speech as protected under human rights law.
The judge added that the regulator had a “pre-ordained view” that Meade’s beliefs were “unacceptable”.'

Social worker suspended over gender critical views awarded £58,000

Rachel Meade was subjected to harassment by Westminster city council and Social Work England, a judge ruled

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/c18e91c6-e124-4a6d-a491-87031e762e6d?shareToken=6c9d5a2ee8339d1d0efeb44de2f7782a

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ScrollingLeaves · 10/07/2024 09:02

On another thread someone mentioned that

in order to get a job at Tesco you have to first sign an agreement that TWAW.

Does anyone know if this is against discrimination law?

highame · 10/07/2024 08:05

Fenlandia · 29/04/2024 09:17

According to various legal bods on twitter, exemplary damages are rare. So perhaps finally these foolish organisations will start paying attention to the law of the land, not Stonewall law.

I really hope you're right but so many of these organisations feel they are above the law and many drag their heels in making change. Some are downright shocked that the judgements go against them.

Lets hope, but they have found a way they think silences others, the punishment being the process. They are a bit dense these organisations (I say that to be kind!)

Janie143 · 10/07/2024 07:04

Employers can break the law whenever they want as the costs of tribunals are so prohibitive to the employee even when they win.

StickItInTheFamilyAlbum · 09/07/2024 23:09

AutumnCrow · 09/07/2024 22:23

Rachel has raised over an astonishing £140,000 (and gradually rising), nearly £141,000. There are so many comments about her being inspiring and brave. I admire her so very much.

I hope that there might be another way for us to be to assist with the legal fees shortfall in the longer term. Or maybe she could personally sue any of the fuckers that brought her to this place - surely to god some of these cases that have been won outline clear cases of defamation and loss?

A deficit of £59K feels so punitive…

Maybe we need an FWR version of Task Rabbit/equivalent in which we donate proceeds from tasks and microtasks to fund these necessary actions. As ever, it feels like we need centralised funding for these cases (whenever it's been raised, there are all sorts of pragmatic reasons why it's not feasible).

AutumnCrow · 09/07/2024 22:23

Rachel has raised over an astonishing £140,000 (and gradually rising), nearly £141,000. There are so many comments about her being inspiring and brave. I admire her so very much.

I hope that there might be another way for us to be to assist with the legal fees shortfall in the longer term. Or maybe she could personally sue any of the fuckers that brought her to this place - surely to god some of these cases that have been won outline clear cases of defamation and loss?

PepeParapluie · 09/07/2024 22:02

Me too Flowers

Kucinghitam · 09/07/2024 21:47

Planted a few seeds.

Feckedupbundle · 09/07/2024 21:45

You called?

marzipanbattenburg · 09/07/2024 21:44

StickItInTheFamilyAlbum · 09/07/2024 18:54

Donated to reduce the losses for taking this on on behalf of all of us (despite the damages).

That's how I feel.
Cheers! 🙂

HermioneWeasley · 09/07/2024 21:43

Thanks for the reminder. I’ve contributed, she shouldn’t be out of pocket for fighting this fight

JanesLittleGirl · 09/07/2024 21:37

I didn't realise how far short she is. Borrowed some seeds from somewhere else.

ScrollingLeaves · 09/07/2024 19:44

marzipanbattenburg · 09/07/2024 18:31

I just donated to her legal costs, it's the last day for it.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/unlawful-discrimination-by-soc/?utm_source=backer_social&utm_campaign=unlawful-discrimination-by-soc&utm_reference=d8bdcb9358c04431cdceb33889bfba87&utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_content=post_pledge_page

Thank you for the alert. I have just donated for her costs. It is so wrong she has them.

NoBinturongsHereMate · 09/07/2024 19:09

Thanks for the reminder, I'll drop a carrot in the bucket.

Chickenrunning · 09/07/2024 19:09

Bumping

StickItInTheFamilyAlbum · 09/07/2024 18:54

Donated to reduce the losses for taking this on on behalf of all of us (despite the damages).

Couci · 09/05/2024 12:45

FuckOffYokeofOpression · 29/04/2024 20:22

Did somebody say "bundle" ?

Naomi Cunningham, who represented Rachel Meade, did mention "bundle" in her brief Q&A after being named "Lawyer of the Week" in the Times. (Hope the archive link works!)

Naomi Cunningham on her career and winning a gender critical case:
https://archive.ph/5oDum

dragonscannotswim · 29/04/2024 21:59

Brilliant result.

Exemplary damages are rare!

TinDogTavern · 29/04/2024 21:19

That's the one. Thank you.

MrsOvertonsWindow · 29/04/2024 21:11

TinDogTavern · 29/04/2024 20:02

Can someone remind me of the name of the TRA please? Doing some digging on something else, cheers.

Aedon Wolton? Works for Sport England

mrshoho · 29/04/2024 20:56

Igmum · 29/04/2024 20:51

Good judgement but I wish they had included costs too. Does anyone know if it is still possible to do a bit of gardening?

The original crowd funding is still open and an update from Rachel is on there asking for help with the shortfall in legal costs.

Rightsraptor · 29/04/2024 20:55

Yes it is definitely still possible to do some gardening and let's all do our bit, else Rachel won't get even a bottle of champagne out of the award as it'll go to the lawyers.

Igmum · 29/04/2024 20:51

Good judgement but I wish they had included costs too. Does anyone know if it is still possible to do a bit of gardening?

mrshoho · 29/04/2024 20:48

Yes 💪! All power to you Rachel. A stunning victory. You were so brave and have been vindicated. All these wins are setting the way for more of us to make a stand and bring about change and a return to common sense.

FuckOffYokeofOpression · 29/04/2024 20:22

Did somebody say "bundle" ?