Slimming club consultant sacked 'for being too fat'

Slimming club consultant sacked 'for being too fat'

Last updated at 08:05am on 27th November 2007 Comments (12)

A top Slimming World consultant was forced out of her job for being too fat and old, a tribunal heard yesterday. Brenda Tolley, 64, had held one of the most important posts at the weight loss organisation but was forced out because she no longer fitted their image.

Mrs Tolley, who had run award-winning classes for the group helping thousands of people lose extra pounds, quit her £30,000 pounds a year job after managers took half of her responsibilities away from her.

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Brenda Tolley claims unfair dismissal after she says she was forced to resign from her role as a slimming consultant

The rotund grandmother is now claiming age discrimination and unfair dismissal from Slimming World.

The tribunal panel in Reading heard yesterday how Mrs Tolley felt managers "ganged up on" her and forced her out of her role with the company - despite her 12 years' service and multiple awards.

Brenda Tolley says she was forced to leave for being too fat and old

Mrs Tolley of Bracknell, began working for Alfreton based Slimming World soon after becoming a member herself on May 5, 1995.

Shortly afterwards she was approached about becoming a consultant, a role that involved running her own classes.

By 1999 she had four classes under her supervision and became a team developer for the Wokingham and Bracknell areas.

This involved additional responsibilities like helping to expand the Slimming World business and saw her earnings rise to £30,000 pounds per year.

Mrs Tolley told the panel that out of the blue on April 17 of this year she was called in for a meeting with her line manager, Lisa Armstrong and regional manager Yvonne Sanders.

The tribunal heard how her performance was criticised and she was told she had to give up half of her classes and half of her team of consultants.

This was despite her having an award-winning team and receiving awards at the Slimming World Oscars for attracting over 100 people to some of her classes.

It was at this point that she wrote to Slimming World's managing director, Caryl Richards, tendering her resignation.

In papers presented to the tribunal yesterday Mrs Tolley said she felt she had been discriminated against by managers.

"Soon after I had left I found out that my class had been taken over by someone much younger than me and this, along with one or two other things, led me to believe that the reason why Slimming World had wanted to get rid of me was because I was too old and did not have the right look or image that they were after."

Speaking at the pre-hearing, she said "I felt I did not have a chance. I felt ganged up on at that point, I was not getting the support."

The tribunal heard how Slimming World bosses offered her the chance to talk about the situation at three meetings but she refused, claiming she did not think they would make any difference.

The pre-hearing review continues.