A Star Wars-themed team-building exercise has landed the NHS in hot water, resulting in an employee being awarded nearly £29,000 in compensation. An employment tribunal ruled that a colleague’s comparison of the employee to the iconic villain Darth Vader during the activity constituted a workplace detriment. This recent case serves a stark reminder of the delicate balance between workplace banter and legally recognised detriment.
Case Overview
Lorna Rooke, an employee of NHS Blood and Transplant participated in a Star Wars-themed Myers-Briggs personality test in August 2021. While on a personal phone call, a colleague completed the test on her behalf. On her return, Ms. Rooke was informed that her personality profile matched that of Darth Vader. Ms. Rooke said she felt unpopular following the comparison and cited the incident as a contributing factor to her subsequent resignation.
While the tribunal dismissed her claims for unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments, it upheld her claim of suffering a detriment after raising protected disclosures, in part relating to the Darth Vader incident. Judge Kathryn Ramsden delivered a decisive judgment, stating that associating someone’s personality with Darth Vader, particularly without their input, was “insulting and inappropriate”. The Judge further emphasised that aligning an employee’s personality with such a figure in a professional setting could “understandably cause distress or humiliation”. Consequently, Ms. Rooke was awarded £28,989.61 in compensation.
Implications for Employers and Employees
The ruling sends a clear message about the critical importance of maintaining respect and professionalism during all workplace interactions, regardless of their perceived informality or good intentions. Activities involving personality profiling or character comparisons must be handled with care to avoid singling out individuals or causing unintended offence. Employers must recognise that jokes or seemingly light-hearted comments can easily cross the boundary into offensive or damaging territory, particularly when made without an individual’s explicit consent.
Employees should feel empowered to voice their concerns if they believe they have been treated unfairly, particularly after making protected disclosures. They have the right to perform their duties in an environment free from ridicule or negative consequences.
This judgment reinforces that employees are entitled to a workplace environment free from humiliation. It also clarifies that casual or humorous conduct can amount to an unlawful detriment when it follows whistleblowing or other protected acts. Ultimately, fostering a workplace culture that prioritises respect and open communication benefits both employees and employers, preventing potentially costly and damaging situations like this from arising.
Key Contact
Paul Hennity
Employment Law Partner
Paul is a Partner in our Employment Law team, currently dividing his time between our Chester and Wirral offices.
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