A food delivery website has been ordered to pay over £60,000 in compensation to a former employee who was unfairly dismissed for working remotely from Egypt. Tanveer Shah, a sales manager for Stoke-based Foodhub, was sacked in August 2022 after the company's chief executive accused him of 'stealing money from the company'.
Mr Shah, who lives in the Vale of Glamorgan, had been based in Egypt for a period while working as a field sales executive. He joined Foodhub in 2018 and was promoted rapidly due to his performance, eventually becoming UK field sales manager. However, CEO Ardian Mula noticed that Mr Shah's expenses were far lower than his team's, suggesting he had only travelled away from home on six or seven occasions in three months.
In a meeting, Mr Mula questioned Mr Shah about his time in the field. When Mr Shah argued he did not need to be in the field to do his job, the CEO dismissed him on the spot, citing poor sales figures. Mr Shah later explained he had been in Egypt on holiday and contracted Covid-19, preventing his return to the UK, so he worked remotely for a period.
An employment tribunal found that the subsequent appeal process was a sham, orchestrated to achieve a predetermined outcome. Judge David Maxwell stated that the investigation was biased, with senior HR business partner James Page only seeking evidence to support the misconduct claim. The judge awarded £61,419 in compensation, noting a deterioration in Mr Shah's mental health due to prolonged unemployment and financial strain.
Foodhub, founded in 2008, operates in the UK, US, Australia, and New Zealand, employing over 1,000 people. The tribunal highlighted that the company failed to conduct a fair investigation, particularly regarding fuel expenses, which could have shown Mr Shah's field activity.
