Overview

• The Co-operative Group was ordered to pay Lucasz Zawadzki more than £10,000 after a Manchester tribunal found his dismissal unfair.
• A colleague, identified as SM, had accused Zawadzki of making high-pitched “hee hee” noises like Michael Jackson as well as monkey noises and being racist.
• Zawadzki admitted making embarrassing, juvenile noises at work, including grunting and moaning he conceded were inappropriate, but he denied racist intent or impersonating Jackson.
• Judge Carol Porter found there was no satisfactory evidence the admitted conduct caused SM distress or amounted to bullying or harassment.
• The ruling noted procedural failings, including that Zawadzki had not been warned and was not shown to be aware of a zero-tolerance policy before he was suspended and dismissed following a December 2023 complaint.