A WOMAN who was working at a B&B in Keswick has won a case of unfair dismissal against a male boss who refused to strip a bed and told her 'it is a woman's job to do it'. 

The woman, Nicola Nolan, had been working as an assistant at Appletrees Guest House managed by Catherine and Jason Fairfield since 2019. 

Ms Nolan's duties included cleaning rooms and serving breakfast to guests.

However, an incident on March 16, 2022, soured what was described as a positive working relationship, an employment tribunal heard. 

On this day, Ms Nolan asked Mr Fairfield to strip the bed he had stayed in the previous night.

Mr Fairfield refused, saying, "No, it’s not my job to do it, it is a woman’s job."

The ruling, held in Manchester, heard that it was not a requirement for Ms Nolan to change the Fairfields' bed, but had agreed to do so on a one-off occasion. 

Despite the guest house being managed by Ms Fairfield, it was found that Mr Fairfield had a significant role at the B&B. 

"Mr Searle’s submission and the evidence of the Fairfields that Mr Fairfield would not make a comment of this nature because he has three daughters does not persuade us that he did not make that comment," the tribunal heard. 

"It is possible that it was not a sincerely held view which he expressed but something said to deliberately wind the claimant up."

In the same hearing, further allegations brought forward by Ms Nolan were discussed, including a comment regarding a broken toilet seat, with Mr Fairfield allegedly stating “do you not know how to do a woman’s job of cleaning a toilet seat?”

However, this claim was rejected.

The tribunal found: "We consider it unlikely that Mr Fairfield would have used these precise words.

"It may be that the claimant felt that Mr Fairfield by his comments was patronising her and that he would not have spoken to a man in the same way and conflated this with the earlier reference to a woman’s job in relation to changing the bed.

"Given the absence of this specific allegation in the grievance letter, the claimant has not persuaded us that in relation to the toilet seat Mr Fairfield used the term 'woman’s job'," the report states. 

Following this incident, Ms Nolan raised the issue with Ms Fairfield, where she 'refused' to apologise for her husband's behaviour, the report states. 

It would go onto a discussion that may have become 'heated'. 

Ms Nolan left and did not return to work.

Ms Fairfield would go on to message Ms Nolan about how she was "really sorry about how this morning turned out", taking the decision of her walking out as a termination of her contract. 

The tribunal concluded that her claims for unfair dismissal and harassment related to sex were 'well founded'. However, other complaints brought forward were refused. 

A remedy hearing is scheduled for May 7, 2024, to determine any further action.

Appletrees Guest House was approached for comment.