Blogging from the Highlands of Scotland
'From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step' - Diderot

Saturday 10 February 2007

Sacked for being gay in Scotland?

That's what top estate agent Gordon Lockhart is claiming at an employment tribunal. It may of course just be a coincidence, but it seems that soon after revealing to one of the directors of the firm he worked for, Re/Max, that he is gay and after returning from New Zealand where he had entered into a civil partnership agreement with his partner Leon Gray he learned of his dismissal . The firm claims that he was dismissed because of "poor levels of customer service", even though he was their top salesman in Scotland and had won awards for his high performance three years in a row. The claim by the firm that his status as an independent contractor rather than a direct employee means that the employment tribunal has no jurisdiction in the matter may complicate matters, but sounds like a ruse to me to allow the firm to engage in clear discrimination - unless it can present cast-iron evidence to back up its claim. I await the outcome of this case with interest.

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