Portsmouth University, located in England, has been asked to pay at least £4,50,000 for "subconscious" discrimination against a female Indian academic. A tribunal based in Southampton has found Dr Kajal Sharma racially discriminated against by her line manager at Portsmouth University. Dr. Kajal Sharma, an academic, held the position of Associate Head of Organisational Studies and Human Resource Management on a five-year fixed-term contract. As her contract concluded on December 31, 2020, she was required to undergo a reapplication process for the same position. Professor Gary Rees, Dr. Kajal Sharma's supervisor, did not inform her that the role was being advertised internally. He purportedly declined to renew her for the same position after five years without providing a clear rationale. Instead, he appointed a white woman, lacking any relevant experience for the role, as her replacement. When she asked for feedback for why she was rejected, none was given. The tribunal concluded this was because "he was well aware the process had not been fair and fully transparent." It was thus found that the process of selection was tainted by racial discrimination and Reese treated her differently compared to white staff. "His reluctance to recognise the skills and abilities and aspirations of Dr Sharma, and his failure to support and encourage her in the way he supported and encouraged other members of white staff, points towards a subconscious or unconscious bias," the tribunal said. This bias meant "his failure to reappoint her was an act of race discrimination," stated the tribunal. Moreover, the tribunal discovered no indications of her inadequacy for the position.
