'Naturally loud' Jewish academic wins unfair dismissal claim

A judgement published last week notes that some at the university found the physicist “somewhat overbearing” while others valued her contributions. 

The university said she was perceived to “shout at students, and colleagues” and was dismissed over the way she dealt with two doctoral students. 

Dr Plaut’s race discrimination and sex discrimination claims were dismissed, with the judge stressing that “if interlocutors sincerely believe that she is shouting at them, that perception is their reality.”

But her unfair dismissal claim succeeded, with judge Paul Housego ruling that “senior management had decided that Dr Plaut would not be tolerated further.”

“The good things she had done over the years were given no weight,” he said.

“The Tribunal does not doubt but for some people Dr Plaut’s approach to life was highly uncomfortable, but that fails to appreciate that this is a façade behind which the evidence is of a long serving dedicated and caring academic.”

Her additional claims of victimisation and harassment in relation to her suspension in 2019 also succeeded.

A spokesperson for the University of Exeter told the Times: “We believe there are inaccuracies in this judgment and will be appealing the decision to the Employment Appeals Tribunal.”