Ely Place Chambers are reporting that the East London Employment Tribunal has made the largest single costs award against an individual on record. The Claimant presented claims for unfair dismissal, race and disability discrimination, whistleblowing, harassment and victimisation. In all, there were 43 alleged acts of direct discrimination, 19 alleged detriments arising out of protected disclosures and seven alleged acts of direct disability discrimination. The Tribunal dismissed the Claimant’s claims in their entirety. They found the Claimant to be “a clever and unscrupulous man”, “dishonest” and “a stranger to the truth”, who had repeatedly lied both during his employment and in his evidence to the Tribunal. The Claimant has appealed the substantive decision. The Tribunal ordered the Claimant to pay the whole of the Respondent’s costs, to be subject to a detailed assessment. It seems likely therefore that, subject to a hefty reduction by the Senior Courts Cost Office, this is likely to be the largest ever award of costs in the Employment Tribunal.

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