Health worker compensated ₹34L for being compared to Darth Vader
What's the story
A National Health Service (NHS) worker, Lorna Rooke, has been awarded £28,989.61 (almost ₹34 lakh) in damages by a Croydon employment tribunal.
She was granted compensation after a ruling that she had been subject to workplace "detriment" due to being likened to the Star Wars villain Darth Vader.
Such comparisons were termed "insulting" and "upsetting" by the judge.
Dispute details
Colleague's test results led to the comparison
The tribunal's decision was based on a case where Rooke's colleague had taken a Star Wars-themed psychological test on her behalf.
When the online quiz classified Rooke as similar to Darth Vader, a colleague announced the result to others.
The tribunal ruled that the results represented the colleague's view of Rooke and would have upset her.
Test details
The Myers-Briggs test and its implications
Rooke's team had participated in a Star Wars-themed Myers-Briggs questionnaire as part of a team-building exercise in August 2021.
This personality assessment categorizes individuals into 16 groups based on their introversion levels, intuition degree, decision-making process (thoughts or feelings), and how they perceive the world around them.
The Darth Vader category was defined as "a very focused individual" who could unite teams.
Personal impact
Rooke's reaction and subsequent resignation
Rooke didn't take the test herself, as she had to attend a personal call.
But when she returned, a colleague, Amanda Harber, had already taken the test on her behalf and announced that Rooke shared Vader's personality type.
The revelation left Rooke feeling unpopular, and she cited it as one of the reasons for her resignation a month later.
Legal outcome
Tribunal's verdict and compensation awarded
Although the tribunal rejected Rooke's allegations that the "Darth Vader incident" had made her resign, it accepted it as a "detriment."
Rooke was awarded £28,989.61 in damages for this claim after a protected disclosure, not solely for the "detriment" claim.
However, she lost her claims of unfair dismissal, disability discrimination and failure to make reasonable adjustments.