UK court awards payout to Indian nurse for unpaid wages, harassment
It marks a significant victory against a British care company and could push other migrant workers to seek legal recourse of exploitative labour practices.
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An Indian nurse who was sacked by a British care company won a significant payout on Monday in a case that lawyers said could spur other migrant workers to pursue claims against unscrupulous bosses.
Kirankumar Rathod is among more than 100,000 overseas workers who have arrived in Britain to take up care jobs since 2022 when the government opened up a new visa route to help tackle massive staffing gaps.
An investigation by Context this year revealed reports of abuses in the sector had soared since the scheme’s introduction but labour experts said most migrant workers were too scared to complain for fear they would lose their visa and be deported.
Rathod said he was left in dire financial straits after London-based Clinica Private Healthcare Ltd hired him, but failed to provide him with any work and then fired him.
In an unusual ruling on Monday, employment judge Natasha Joffe ordered Clinica to pay Rathod nearly 17,000 pounds ($22,260) in unpaid wages to date, and to continue paying his salary until his claim for unfair dismissal is decided.
“This is very significant,” Rathod’s solicitor Sarmila Bose of the Work Rights Centre told Context. “It shows that redress is possible for the many people who have been wronged by the way the visa scheme has been...
