Overview
- A UK employment tribunal found Leila Ayad was unfairly dismissed and ordered her former employer to pay £21,533.
- Ayad had told an internal WhatsApp group the café was very cold in winter, saying staff could not use heating and the temperature dropped to about 12°C.
- She described working in three layers and a thermal vest after managers kept the door open to draw in passersby.
- After her complaint, the café cut her hours and later dismissed her by email, citing punctuality, attitude and performance.
- Judges said the company’s reasons did not hold up and her complaint raised a genuine safety issue, a finding that signals workers’ internal reports on conditions may be protected under UK law.