Overview

• Employment Judge Carol Porter ordered the Co-operative Group to pay Lucasz Zawadzki more than £10,000 after finding his dismissal unfair.
• The Manchester tribunal found no satisfactory evidence that the noises offended the colleague or caused distress.
• Zawadzki admitted making embarrassing, juvenile noises such as grunting and moaning but denied impersonating Michael Jackson or making racist monkey noises.
• He was suspended and later dismissed following a December 2023 complaint by a colleague known as SM at the Co-op’s Manchester warehouse.
• The judge noted Zawadzki had not been made aware of a zero‑tolerance policy or warned that his workplace behavior could lead to disciplinary action.