By Emily Caulkett-
A woman has won £60,000 at a tribunal for being gas lighted after single-handedly taking on Bradford-based Morrisons.
Donna Patterson, 38, from Wetherby, returned to work at the supermarket giant after her second baby, but her mental health deteriorated after being given a full-time job, despite her working part-time.
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Patterson said she was “gaslighted” into taking on the extra hours, and later launched legal action after developing work-related stress.
The ex-buyer spent five days cross-examining eight former colleagues – despite having no legal training – using meeting minutes to show how managers had “questioned” her priorities after she fell pregnant.
And a judge ruled that she should receive £60,442.25 in compensation after hearing the grocery giant had planned to demote her after she said she was having a baby.
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Donna said after the “gruelling” case, where she faced off against legal professionals before winning a unanimous verdict, she had tears of relief streaming down her face.
She has been compared to single mum Erin Brockovich, played by Julia Roberts in the Oscar-winning film of the same name, who won a pioneering case despite a lack of legal knowledge.
Morrisons said it is considering an appeal against the ruling.
Campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed helped Mrs Patterson and shared her story.
They said: “When Donna returned to work after her second baby her employer gave her a full-time job…. despite her working part-time.
“She repeatedly questioned how that was possible; mothers are ridiculously productive but this was beyond ridiculous.
“Not to mention the fact she would still be taking home a part-time salary.”
Morrisons was accused of ‘gaslighting’ the mum-of-two by telling her they had faith she could pull it off.
The group added: “But she didn’t want their flattery, she wanted a realistic workload.
“No one listened. She was left with little choice but to give it her best shot and her mental health deteriorated. The stress was too much to bear, the workload completely unachievable.
“She called our advice line and we encouraged her to go through a grievance process, and then to take legal action against her employer.
“Unfortunately, the legal cover, which came with her house insurance, refused to cover the claim as they said it had little chance of success. So, what did Donna do?! Well, this mother, this mother, with balls of absolute bloody steel, decided she would do it anyway and she would represent herself. “
Mrs Patterson had to cross-examine eight witnesses in a gruelling five-day hearing.
The group added: “But every day she thought about the women who had come before her and the women who would come after.
“She WON. She got a £60k payout and the satisfaction that she forced this ‘family friendly’ employer to air their dirty
“Thank you, Donna. Thank you for everything. “
Morrisons said it does not accept it acted in an unfair way and it believes “a number of the facts have been misrepresented”.
Thousands of protestors gathered over the weekend, including in West Yorkshire, in a campaign co-ordinated by Pregnant Then Screwed to call for reforms to the childcare sector and parental leave.
Many stood outside Downing Street shouting “Dear Rishi Sunak, we want our choices back” as they protested against unaffordable childcare and parental leave structures.
Protesters held banners reading: “My skills got me hired! My womb got me fired!” and “Affordable childcare now”.
Patterson said the Bradford-based company “gas lighted” her into working full-time when she returned from leave, despite her being on a part-time contract.
During the case, the tribunal also heard that bosses had planned to demote her while she was pregnant.
The revelation reportedly sent the judge “ballistic”.
Ms Patterson took action against Morrisons after a deterioration of her mental health under her new working conditions forced her to take another period of leave.
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