A former cabin crew worker for Jet2 has claimed she was forced to quit her job due to a row over an ‘extreme’ haircut.
Marion McKay is seeking £22,000 in compensation from the airline due to emotional distress and loss of earnings, after she told an employment tribunal in Edinburgh her employer threatened to ban her from working on flights unless she changed the shaved do.
McKay was signed off work due to stress and resigned around a week later when she believed she was left with “no choice”. The airline denies any wrongdoing, the Daily Record reported.
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McKay’s lawyer, Amanda Buchanan, told the tribunal: “She initially tried to comply because she loved her job, but then didn’t want to change herself and after reflecting on it, she resigned.”
When she was hired by the airline in June 2022, she had a haircut described as a “short cut and sides”.
McKay was asked to cover her tattoos, but claims there was no mention of her hair not meeting standards. Marion said management failed to raise the issue until around 14 months later, when a senior member of staff requested she grow it out.
She argues male members of staff had similar styles without facing any action from the company.
Stuart Mckenzie, deputy cabin crew manager, told the tribunal: “I spoke to the claimant about her hair on July 10. We planned to approach her during Red Hot Week, but it was too busy.
“We intended to still speak to her, but were looking for an appropriate time to do it. The claimant was not prevented from flying.
“Her hair doesn’t fit with the guidelines because it is an extreme style. We spoke about potentially growing her hair out at the sides.”
(Image: Daily Record)
On July 14, 2023, due to the stress and anxiety caused by her working situation, Marion was signed off sick with work-related stress.
She resigned on July 22 in response to the airlines’ conduct, with her employment ending on August 13 2023. Mr McKenzie added: “She resigned. There was no bad blood between managers and she enjoyed her time with the company. If the claimant was a man, the action I would have taken towards her hair would have been the same.”
Kelly Bolton, cabin services regional manager, added that Marion’s hair was “more extreme” than the styles of her male colleagues.
Ms Buchanan, argued her client was treated “more stringently” because she is female. The tribunal will return its verdict in 28 days.
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