A health and safety executive on the Disney Star Wars production The Acolyte has been awarded £234,110 after an employment tribunal found she was unfairly dismissed for complaining about being replaced by a “white man”.
Sadi Khan MBE, the first woman of colour to head health and safety on a Disney Star Wars series, was replaced by industry veteran Jay Bond, who was appointed to improve the show’s “dysfunctional” health and safety. Ms Khan complained that the move was “racist” and said she felt “uncomfortable” being replaced by a “white man”.
The tribunal concluded that while the decision to hire a new head of health and safety was not racially motivated, sacking Ms Khan after her complaint was wrong. Ms Khan, from Nottingham, was awarded an MBE in 2018 for cultural and religious awareness and training.
She had been promoted to health and safety department manager on The Acolyte despite lacking the required qualifications, and complaints were made about her harsh communication style. The department was deemed “dysfunctional” and Mr Bond was brought in to remedy the situation.
Ms Khan told colleagues she felt discriminated against as a woman of colour, and referred to Mr Bond as “the white man”. An investigation was launched, and Ms Khan was subsequently dismissed. The tribunal found the dismissal was unfair.
