18-year-old gets fired for wearing sports shoes at work; company slapped with ₹31 lakh fine

A UK-based firm reportedly fired a teenager for wearing sports shoes at work. Two years later, the company was held accountable for victimising the employee and asked to pay her 29,187 pounds (approximately ₹31 lakh).

Twenty-year-old Elizabeth Benassi won a legal suit for harassment on the grounds of age and victimisation against her former employer, Maximus UK Services, in Croydon, London. Benassi accused her boss of micromanaging her actions and “treating her like a child” when she came into work with sneakers.

Benassi joined the office in 2022

Benassi had joined the company in August 2022. At that time, he was the youngest staff member of Maximus UK Services, which works for the Department of Work and Pensions to help people back into work and off benefits, reported Metro.UK.

In her legal suit filed at the employment tribunal, Benassi said that she was treated “like a child” by her manager. She claimed that she was called out in front of everyone for wearing sports shoes at office. The employment tribunal hearing in Croydon, south London ruled in favour of Benassi and asked the company to pay her the amount as it “desire to find fault” with the young people.

According to the news report, Benassi objected to the way she was treated for wearing sports shoes at work, even when there were many other officials who were wearing similar footwear.

‘I have now realised am not the only one wearing trainers today and I have not seen anyone receive the same chat that I have," Metro.UK quoted Benassi's email statement to her senior.

After she objected to the treatment, the company's Operations Manager said that her choice of footwear had been ‘unacceptable’ and that they ‘want to see a professional dress code at all times.’

Benassi sued within three months after being hired

Within three months after being hired, Benassi was fired from the team. One of the reasons for the action was her failure to wear ‘appropriate office attire’. Later, she filed a legal case against the company on grounds of age and victimisation.