Association confident of 'no discrimination' in three complaints
Notting Hill Housing Group could face three employment tribunal hearings in the new year after allegations of race discrimination.

Three complaints against the group have been registered with the Employment Tribunal Service. Two are for race discrimination and unfair dismissal; the third is for race discrimination and breach of contract. Notting Hill denies any discrimination.

The first complaint, registered in June, is scheduled for a full hearing on 26 January. Hearings for the other two complaints have not yet been scheduled.

One of the complaints comes from a black employee who was sacked less than halfway through a 12-month contract with the group in May. He claims he was given no reason for his dismissal, and was told the police would be called if he did not leave the group's offices.

A source at Notting Hill said the number of race-related complaints against the group should set "alarm bells ringing".

The Housing Corporation's traffic light assessment, published in September, singled out the group for its slowness in implementing equality and diversity requirements. It said: "The group is six months overdue in meeting our regulatory milestone for race equality".

The trust got an amber light for governance, signifying "material concerns about performance".

A black employee was sacked less than halfway through a 12-month contract and claims he was given no reason

The tribunal is the latest blow for the group, which owns 18,000 homes in London, as it recovers from the resignation of chief executive Peter Redman in early November.

Redman handed in his notice after a highly critical Audit Commission inspection that said there was "scope for improvement" in the group's services.

A spokesman for Notting Hill Housing Group declined to comment on specific cases, but said: "In all the cases pending tribunal, Notting Hill has conducted thorough internal investigations and ,where appropriate, gone through all appeal stages.

"We have carried out due diligence with our policies and procedures. We're confident there has been no discrimination demonstrated on the part of Notting Hill or its employees.

"We are prepared to defend all cases at tribunal."

Source

Housing Today