Boss coughed in employee's face during COVID-19; she gets £26,000
A former employee of Cawdor Cars in West Wales, United Kingdom has been awarded over £26,000 after her employer, Kevin Davies, intentionally coughed in her face amid the COVID-19 pandemic. According to reports, the incident took place shortly after the woman expressed health concerns to her colleagues ahead of the first lockdown. Employment Judge Tobias Vincent Ryan deemed Davies' actions a deliberate attempt to "ridicule and intimidate" the woman over her fears.
Judge condemns employer's 'gross behavior'
On March 17, 2020, the woman—who suffers from psoriatic arthritis and an autoimmune condition—asked her colleagues at Cawdor Cars to maintain social distancing, amid the rising number of COVID cases across the world. Lockdown was clamped in the area just a week after this incident, reports said. In response, Davies "coughed in her direction deliberately and loudly," dismissing her concerns as ridiculous. Judge Ryan described Davies' behavior as "gross."
Employee's resignation after the incident
Notably, the woman had been working at Cawdor Cars in Newcastle Emlyn from 2017 to 2020 and resigned less than three months after the incident. Judge Ryan noted that her resignation was "at least in part because she was victimized; this was a major and significant factor in her decision." "She felt that she was being eased out partly because of her complaints. She was correct," he added.
Court orders £26,438.84 payout
The judged ordered Cawdor Cars to pay the woman £26,438.84 in compensation. The breakdown includes £18,000 for injury to feelings and Davies personally paying £3,841.94 for unfair dismissal and an additional £4,596.90 in interest. Speaking after the hearing, the woman described herself as a "nervous wreck" due to Davies's "horrendous" conduct and his knowledge of her medical condition.
Employee recounts trauma
The woman, deeply affected by the incident, said, "He knew of my medical condition. He knew I had no immune protection because of the medication I had to take, and he deliberately coughed in my face. I was shaking." She described herself as not a "silly, fluffy person," having endured much in her life, but admitted that this incident significantly impacted her.
