A migrant care worker in the UK was being bullied in the workplace, so instigated internal complaints, but was told that her employers did not ‘trust’ her. When she resigned to seek alternative employment, she was hit with repayment clauses, leaving her with no choice but to take her employers to the Employment Tribunal to seek relief.

A migrant worker paid GBP 12,000 for sponsorship to come to the UK to work in a care home in Derbyshire. She is a qualified nurse in her country, and she re-mortgaged her home to pay the GBP 12,000 fee to the sponsor. The sponsor is also her landlord in the UK and provided sub-standard accommodation with no heating, for which he deducts over £600 per month from her wages. She lives in a village in a rural area, with multiple other workers from the care home, some staying in caravans, and also paying £600 for accommodation. The member approached UNISON due to mistreatment by the employer. She experienced racism and was accused of failing to report an incident with a patient in the care home, despite the fact that the incident did not happen while she was on shift. After the worker instigated complaints, the employer dismissed her, and has said that he will inform the Home Office that she is no longer employed by them. He has also stated that if she wishes to stay in the accommodation, she must pay an extortionate fee and deposit.