Ms M Poblet v TUV Rheinland UK Ltd — 2024

The claimant was employed as a Business Development Manager and complained that she had been directly discriminated against because of sex and age. The tribunal found that the claims were brought in time because, taking the claimant's case at its highest, the alleged acts formed conduct extending over a period ending with her dismissal on 1 September 2022.

On the sex discrimination allegations, the tribunal found that Ms Gomes did not say it would be better for a man to represent the respondent at a meeting, did not say that the claimant's children were a hindrance to her performance, and that sales leads on 9 August 2022 were allocated according to the respondent's usual practice to someone available to pursue them. It also found that a man in materially the same circumstances, including the same sales performance, training position, late business plan and inaccurate sales reports, would also have failed probation and been dismissed.

On the age discrimination allegations, the tribunal found that Ms Gomes did not ask the claimant when she was planning to retire or whether she planned to retire to Spain. The tribunal concluded that the claimant was not treated less favourably because of age or sex, and dismissed both claims.