Photo credit: the Guardian
Kirankumar Rathod, a migrant nurse in the UK, could be eligible for a hefty payout from Clinica Private Healthcare after an employment judge ruled he was likely to win his case for unfair dismissal.
The Guardian reports that Natasha Joffe, an employment judge, ruled that the London-based healthcare provider may have to pay Kirankumar unpaid wages after it dismissed him in 2023. He could be eligible for a payout of over 13,000 pounds.
The claimant was dismissed after raising concerns about the lack of work offered to him and other colleagues who had also moved to the UK on the promise of full-time employment.
Campaigners hope the judgement will open the door to dozens of other such cases. A final ruling on the case is expected later this year.
“This is a highly significant judgement. It is the first time a care worker has won this type of relief in principle,” Sarmila Bose, the head of employment at the Work Rights Centre, said.
The acting head of the Royal College of Nursing, Nicola Ranger, said: “This is a vital victory for migrant healthcare workers. This case is not the end of the matter because we know that exploitation is widespread across social care. Migrant care workers desperately need the next government to launch an urgent investigation and take action to ensure labour standards are upheld.”
