Mary Kuye v Medway Council — 2025

The Claimant, Mary Kuye, was employed as a newly qualified social worker at Medway Council from 12 October 2020 until her dismissal by letter dated 22 August 2022. She brought two claims covering race and disability discrimination, harassment, victimisation, failure to make reasonable adjustments, holiday pay, and unauthorised deductions from wages. An earlier unfair dismissal claim had been dismissed at a 2023 case management hearing on jurisdictional grounds because she did not have two years' continuous service. The Tribunal accepted that the Claimant was a disabled person under s.6 Equality Act 2010 by reason of dyslexia (from the commencement of her employment), irritable bowel syndrome (from May 2022) and depression (from November 2021).

The Tribunal heard the case over five days in November 2025 and made numerous adjustments during the hearing for the Claimant's disabilities. On the merits, the Tribunal concluded that none of the Claimant's claims were well-founded. It found no evidence of a causative link between protected acts and the matters complained of, no breach of contract in relation to holiday pay, and that the Claimant had in fact been overpaid for her outstanding holiday entitlement on termination. The Claimant effectively withdrew her unauthorised deductions from wages claim in final submissions, which the Tribunal recorded as dismissed on withdrawal.

The Tribunal also addressed time limits, noting that the reasonable adjustments claim and parts of the discrimination case fell outside the primary limitation period and that no basis had been provided on which time could be extended on a just and equitable basis. As no claim succeeded, no remedy hearing was held and no award was made.