A gay waiter, who said he was subjected to sustained harassment in his job at a top Chinese restaurant in London, has been awarded £21,500 by an employment tribunal.
Vincent Ma won his case against the Yauatcha restaurant in Soho, claiming lost earnings and injury to feelings. The Central London Employment Tribunal found that Mr Ma had suffered harassment on the grounds of his sexual orientation and had been constructively dismissed.
Mr Ma told the tribunal that while at the restaurant a manager sang Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ to him and then pretended to have a gay kiss with another manager. On another occasion a customer pinched Mr Ma’s nipple and his boss asked him, “Did you like it?”
Speaking after the ruling Mr Ma said: “I am delighted to have won but the money cannot compensate me for the harassment and humiliation I experienced at work. It has been a long process from raising my claim to the main tribunal hearing and remedy hearing and my health has suffered a lot.”
Since opening in 2004 Yauatcha has become a favourite restaurant among both critics and celebrities.