Starting your first full-time job can feel like walking a tightrope, especially when you're the youngest person in the office. Elizabeth Benassi, now 20, faced more than the usual growing pains when she joined Maximus UK Services back in 2022. What unfolded was a case of double standards—and it all began with her shoes.
Benassi had shown up to work in trainers, unaware that the company enforced a strict dress code. According to The Tribune, her supervisor, Ishrat Ashraf, immediately reprimanded her. But here’s the kicker: others in the office wore the same kind of footwear, and no one else got called out.
Though Benassi's coworkers were close in age, she was the youngest among them. Joining the company at just 18, she later shared that she often felt left out and micromanaged. Her job ended after just three months—and she decided not to walk away quietly.
Benassi took her case to an employment tribunal in Croydon. In a landmark ruling, the judge sided with her and ordered Maximus UK Services to pay 29,187 (about $37,809) in compensation.
As reported by The Daily Mail, Employment Judge Eoin Fowell stated, “This was a breach of the dress code, although she was not aware of it. Ms. Ashraf spoke to her about it straight away, and Ms. Benassi apologized.”
The situation escalated. Benassi wrote to her manager afterward, expressing concern: “This morning you mentioned that I am not allowed to wear trainers to work. Despite not being aware of...
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