April 29, 2016

Occupational therapist loses battle to overturn Tribunal’s decision

Victoria Wasteney was previously found guilty of “harassing and bullying” a fellow worker at the East London NHS Foundation Trust.

She had given the woman a book about a Muslim’s encounter with Christianity and also invited her to church events.

Miss Wasteney, who had been employed as a senior occupational therapist at the time, had been suspended for nine months and was also handed a written warning.

An Employment Tribunal had previously ruled that hospital bosses had not discriminated against the 38-year-old and while she was given the chance to appeal, this was dismissed earlier this month.

Following the decision, Miss Wasteney said: “What the court clearly failed to do was to say how, in today's politically correct world, any Christian can even enter into a conversation with a fellow employee on the subject of religion and not, potentially, later end up in an Employment Tribunal.

“If someone sends you friendly text messages, how is one to know that they are offended?”

A number of the UK’s leading Christian organisations had raised concerns about the outcome of the Tribunal.

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