Cafe worker wins £20,000 after being made to work with the door open in winter
Worker at popular tourist cheesecake cafe wins case over cold conditions
- Leila Ayad, a worker at Whipped cafe in Covent Garden, was awarded over £20,000 in compensation after successfully suing for unfair dismissal.
- Ms Ayad had complained in a company WhatsApp group that the cafe's temperature dropped to 12C, below health and safety guidelines, because the door was kept open.
- Following her complaints, her hours were reduced, and she was subsequently fired, with the employer citing reasons like poor timekeeping.
- The employment tribunal judge found that Ms Ayad's dismissal was unfair, ruling her comments about the cold were "protected disclosures" made for the benefit of all staff.
- Whipped cafe has since closed, and its parent company, WL Retail, entered liquidation in June.