Natwest forced to pay £90,000 after sacking exec days after cancer surgery
A former Natwest executive was awarded £90,000 yesterday after she brought a case against her old employer for dismissing her days after she underwent surgery for cancer.
Adeline Willis, a senior risk and compliance officer, was let go by Natwest in April 2020, eight months after a bowel cancer diagnosis and just days after she underwent surgery for the disease.
She brought a multi-million pound case against the bank, arguing that without the dismissal she would have been promoted and her earnings would have risen to £200,000.
London’s Central Employment Tribunal ruled that Willis had been earning “significantly more” since leaving the bank, meaning her claim for career-long loss did not hold.
But the tribunal ruled that Natwest’s decision was “tainted with discrimination”.
Natwest was ordered to pay nearly £90,000 in damages for Willis’ losses until December 2020.
A Natwest spokesperson said: “We are pleased that this issue has now been resolved. We are sorry that there were things the bank did not get right and where we fell short of the standards our colleagues expect.
“We recognise the extremely difficult personal circumstances in this case and have taken steps to ensure this cannot happen again. Building a truly inclusive culture remains an ongoing priority for everyone working at Natwest.”