Former Jet2 cabin crew worker ‘forced to quit job over her short haircut’

A FORMER cabin crew member claims she was forced to quit her job over her “extreme” haircut.

Marion McKay is seeking £22,000 in compensation from Jet2 after bosses allegedly told her the hairdo, described as a “short cut and sides”, did not comply with company standards.

3

3

3

The 52-year-old, from Edinburgh, says the airline told her to grow it out – 14 months after she joined in June 2022, reports the Daily Record.

An employment tribunal heard how she was signed off with stress after bosses asked her to change her short hairstyle.

Marion said she was assessed twice without complaint during the company’s “Red Hot” week – where cabin crew are rated on their appearance.

The flight attendant ultimately decided not to alter her appearance and instead quit her job.

Jet2 denies any wrongdoing.

Marion’s lawyer Amanda Buchanan told the tribunal: “She initially tried to comply because she loved her job, but then didn’t want to change herself and after reflecting on it, she resigned.”

It’s claimed Marion was approached about her hairstyle before a flight to Antalya in July last year, just days after passing her second “Red Hot” week.

Stuart Mckenzie, deputy cabin crew manager, told the tribunal: “I spoke to the claimant about her hair on the tenth of July.

“We planned to approach her during Red Hot Week, but it was too busy. We intended to still speak to her, but were looking for an appropriate time to do it.

“The claimant was not prevented from flying. Her hair doesn’t fit with the guidelines because it is an extreme style. We spoke about potentially growing her hair out at the sides.”

Marion formally resigned via email with her employment ending on 13 August 2023.

Earlier in the month, she was signed off work due to stress and anxiety caused by the incident.

Mr McKenzie added: “She resigned. There was no bad blood between managers and she enjoyed her time with the company.

“If the claimant was a man, the action I would have taken towards her hair would have been the same.”

Marion’s lawyer argued the worker was held to stricter standards because of her gender.

She added: “Being asked to change hairstyle and having the policy enforced should be applied evenly between men and women. It should not be applied more stringently to females and that is what I believe has happened here.

“The comparisons from her colleague’s hair to Marion’s were extremely similar, in height, in the ways they were short and shaven. Just looking at the pictures they look the same.

“Her manager had taken a view that her hair was extreme because she was female, not because of the policy.

“Why were no male members of staff spoken to regarding how short their hair was? The claimant felt distressed and upset about having to change her appearance and took it very much to heart.”

The tribunal is set to return its verdict in 28 days.