A warehouse worker who was sacked after being accused of impersonating Michael Jackson by making high-pitched 'hee hee' noises at a colleague was unfairly dismissed, an employment tribunal has found.
The colleague, who is black, accused Lucasz Zawadzki of mimicking the pop star, making monkey noises and being racist at the Co-Operative warehouse where they worked, the tribunal in Manchester was told.
Mr Zawadzki admitted making 'embarrassing and juvenile' noises in the workplace but said they were not racist.
The Co-operative Group was ordered to pay Mr Zawadzki more than £10,000 in compensation after Employment Judge Carol Porter found that he was unfairly dismissed.
In December 2023, a colleague referred to as SM, reported to his manager that he had been a victim of bullying, according to the tribunal's judgment.
