A former waitress has been awarded more than £13,000 in a discrimination case after experiencing abuse from her employer while working at a hotel in the Scottish Highlands. Daniesha Charles, who was 15 at the time, brought claims against the Royal Thurso Hotel, alleging age, race, sex, and disability discrimination during her brief employment in 2024.

Ms. Charles was employed part-time as a waitress from May to June 2024 while also attending college. She was the youngest among 14 staff members and the only black female employee at the hotel. She also disclosed to the tribunal that she has dyslexia and suffers from depression and anxiety.

The Edinburgh Employment Tribunal heard that Ms. Charles faced continuous verbal abuse from the hotel’s chef, who reportedly directed insults toward her from the start of her employment. The chef frequently referred to her in the third person using dehumanizing terms such as “that” and “it,” and criticized her for misspelling “porridge,” an action Ms. Charles said compounded a hostile work environment. The tribunal characterized the atmosphere as intimidating and hostile, noting that she endured the mistreatment without complaint for fear of losing her job.

The situation escalated on June 26, 2024, when Ms. Charles accidentally dropped a plate of apple crumble while serving a large group. According to testimony, both the chef and the hotel’s general manager, Andy Woodcock, shouted and swore at her in an aggressive manner during the incident. Ms. Charles described the managers as “in my face,” causing further distress.

Employment Judge Joseph d’Inverno ruled that the conduct of both individuals was discriminatory and created a "degrading, humiliating, and offensive environment" that violated Ms. Charles’s dignity.

As a result of the tribunal’s findings, Ms. Charles was awarded £13,048 in compensation for the combined claims of direct and harassment-related discrimination on the grounds of age, race, sex, and disability. The tribunal’s decision highlights ongoing concerns about workplace treatment of young, disabled, and minority employees in the hospitality industry.