DEI trainer wields power to get staff reprimanded

[desiringtoremainsane]

I saw this posted on Reddit and my heart goes out them. It's a very good example of how the DEI industry is self-serving and how their power is enabled by procurement policies (I guess in the public sector).

According to the employee he looked at the clock during mandated DEI training. According to the trainer he rolled his eyes. The DEI trainer complains about him in the session, then reports him. The external DEI company use this as a reason to withhold the DEI certification from the company - that they need to obtain contracts. Basically the guy is disciplined, put on suspension without pay and mandated to pay for additional training from the same company to keep his job.

https://www.reddit.com/r/LegalAdviceUK/comments/199m246/i_was_accused_of_rolling_my_eyes_during_dei/

Surely constructive dismissal.

Unfortunately he's been in the job less than 2-years so only has rights associated with protected characteristics.

I'd probably have told them to shove their job up their arse by now!

This is like that scene from Life of Brian when the man is being condemned for saying Jehovah. Only now it's a multimillion pound industry costing real people their jobs.

Astonished this is in the UK.

If we keep having contracts reliant on this it will keep happening. The course providers are setting their own standards and marking their own courses. The quality of education and focus of each provider will vary massively.

It is a good grift!

Bloody hell that's chilling. All they need is a room 101 and their reenactment of 1984 will be complete. Surely there's something there to do with the protected characteristic of belief?

There is no indication of what his ‘belief’ even is - taken at face value, he’s been (financially) disciplined for looking at the clock.

He needs to develop some GC beliefs pdq though, as that looks like his only way out
😱😱😱

In the end they used their behavioural policy and yes, exactly for looking at the clock.

... "the part of our behavioural policy which states “I agree to ensure that through my actions all individuals in the workplace are treated with dignity, decency and respect.” Their reasoning is that because the contractor felt disrespected by me either looking at the clock when they are talking or rolling my eyes that I have failed to treat them with dignity, decency or respect.

Do we know who the employing company was?

no

It is psychological training and should only be carried out by a trained psycologist. People are now suing for this reason. He should double down.